Stained
by Blueninjamanga22
Summary: He was an ex-assassin, a thief stained red by his past. She was a princess known throughout the entire land. What connects the two? He would protect her with his life, as her loyal bodyguard. Everyone knows that a dragon would do anything for his love. And when a mysterious terrorist begins to threaten the hand, he will do whatever it takes to protect her. NaLu fic, T for languag
1. A Blackened Soul Can Still See Light

**_Ok, so I came up with this story while watching Black Butler. If you watch that anime, you're officially awesome in my book. Nothing to really say here, no O.C.s or anything. Hope you enjoy!_**

**_I don't own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does. On to the story. _**

**_~ * ~ * Chapter One ~ * ~ *_**

**__****_~ * ~ * A Blackened Soul Can Still See Light _****_~ * ~ *_**

At first glance, no one would be able to tell it was noon. Thunder rumbled across a black sky, rain fell in sleets, and fog rolled in slowly, nearly consuming everything. It looked to be nighttime, and the people of Magnolia Village acted as if it were night. No one was out in the heavy rain, rather than the homeless and a few stubborn locals trying to get errands done.

It was the perfect time for him. The boy ran down the alleyway, his footsteps echoing in the emptiness. This hair, an abnormal bright pink, was matted to his head, his eyes narrowed in concentration.

God, humans are so damn _stupid. _It's so smart of you to try to sell your goods in the pouring rain, Mr. Baker-Man. It's also smart of you to keep it in your stand, where the fog covers up all thieves.

He didn't dare take more than a loaf of bread, though. If word got out that he was here, he'd be dead. If anything, he made a name for himself in the worst way possible.

He remembered little of his past, but he remembered one thing: death. His family had died long ago, back when he was thirteen. Leaving him alone in the world, with no one to lean on and no one to trust.

He did try to make an honest living. But hardly anyone would give him so much as a second glance. Perhaps if he was younger, someone would have shown mercy. But he was a parentless teenager, with no money and nothing to offer in his young age. They didn't listen to him, most called him a bastard, no matter what he told them. The second they found out he was an orphaned boy; he was out on the streets.

Until, at the age of fifth teen, a man had found him on the streets and invited him to join his guild, a guild full of ruthless assassins. And everyone knows that Assassination jobs pay a hell lot of money, and what he needed exactly was a hell lot of money. Life was nowhere near perfect, but it was livable, and that's all he ever asked of life. That is, until he was kicked out for being to 'recklessly violent'. Yeah, he liked to burn things to ashes, so what? It's not like he ever got caught.

He sighed at the memory, stopping in about the eighth alley he ran through. He leaned against a brick wall, staring at the loaf of bread in his hands. He bit into it quick, only in order to break his train of thought. No use in fawning over the past, what's done is done. 'Those who live in the past die in the present', as Erigor-Sensei would always say, was a philosophy he still lived by.

The bread was gone too quickly, according to both his mind and his stomach. He gritted his teeth, rubbing his palms together. He glanced down both ends of the alley, making sure no one was watching. No trouble, he needed absolutely no trouble. He was happily left alone, a figure of the past, recognized only as a form of déjà vu. And he wanted to keep it that way.

Smirking in his solitude, a wisp of fire danced out of his mouth, tying itself around his palms. He leaned up against the wall, so as to protect the fire from the falling rain. Rain meant good cover, yes, but it also meant that damn cold.

He smiled to himself, leaning his head back, closing his eyes. Yes, this was the life for him, as nothing but a shadow, a secret, always on the run. Soon everyone would forget about the notorious Salamander and go on with their lives, maybe then could he come out of his hole and rejoin society. But until then, he practically wasn't anywhere at all.

He exhaled, and then his eyes snapped open. He wasn't alone. He could sense it, even if there didn't seem to be anyone in sight. Willing the fire away, he got to his feet as fast as he could.

_Click, click, click_. The sound of high heels against a stone floor echoed across the alley. Whoever it was, they were too close now, even for him. There was no way he could escape; he let himself get distracted too easily this time. His hand went to the knife he kept in his back pocket, the other barley lit with fire. It had been months, but maybe he still remembered a thing or two about killing.

_Click, click, click_.

He felt the breath escape his throat as a girl walked down the alley. She was partially shadowed, though definitely a woman, and holding a rather lacy umbrella to shield herself from the rain. She was dressed in a long blue cloak, yet wore a belt around her waist. The belt didn't even have a buckle; it consisted only of a single ring of keys.

She stopped, leaving about a good five feet distance from him. He swallowed, steadying himself. He wasn't going to let himself get distracted by a girl, even if he was used to killing men. Getting an assassination job to kill a woman was rare, as men only wanted other men dead for reasons unknown to his kind.

"Who the hell are you?" he spat.

"That doesn't matter right now" she answered, "What matters is I know who you are".

"Really?" he licked his chapped lips, smirking "Do tell".

"You are Natsu Dragneel, the Salamander" the girl said "Professional assassin".

"You got one thing wrong, Milady" Natsu said "_Ex_-assassin. They kicked me out a long time ago, but I supposed you know that. Come to arrest me, now?"

"I have a proposition for you," the girl continued, ignoring him "I assure you it's better than eating stolen bread in the rain".

"What's the offer?" Natsu raised an eyebrow.

"I would like a bodyguard, and a bit of a butler, I suppose" the girl said, "You would live with me, eat full meals, and get a room to stay".

"And protect you? Why would you want me to protect you?" Natsu asked.

"Killing used to be your job, and you were the best at it" the girl smirked "And all the men who come around saying they can protect me, well . . . they're all human"

"So?" Natsu hissed.

"_So_ I want a bodyguard who _isn't_ human," the girl said "And you fit that bill"

Natsu's eyes widened, then he smiled, showing his pointed canines. "Good point, Milady. But here's a riddle for you, a better question. Why would I want to work for you?"

"I will pay well, that's one reason" the girl said "Another is: you're stained. Red is all over you, and something tells me you want to wipe it off. And thievery isn't the way to do it, Salamander"

Natsu swallowed, licking his lips. In a way, that was true. The guilt of his past was something that haunted him, something he couldn't escape, not even in his dreams. Her words were true, he was stained with blood. And he wanted to get rid of it.

"Fine," Natsu said, "You've got a deal, on one condition. Who are you?"

The girl hesitated, and then pulled back her hood. Fawn brown eyes, golden blonde hair, and smooth, porcelain skin. He had seen many people, but she was by far the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

"I am Lucy Heartfilia" the girl said "Princess of Fiore"

(ˆ.ˆ)(ˆ.6)(-.-)

Every day since his first day, Natsu woke up first. Only to wake Lucy up in the morning, just for a good excuse to see her first. Every one in the castle knew that the princess's bodyguard was extremely protective and _extremely_ territorial.

He opened the doors to her bedroom, smiling to himself. She was so peaceful and quiet while she was asleep, quite the opposite to when she was awake. But she was still beautiful, either way.

"Lucy," Natsu said "Rise and shine!"

Lucy's eyes fluttered open, then narrowed. She rolled over "Five more minutes"

"I'm afraid I can't allow that" Natsu smirked, grabbing her and tossing her over his shoulder. Lucy screamed in alarm, her eyes the size of dinner plates.

"I'm up, I'm up!" Lucy exclaimed, "Now put me down!"

"Gladly" Natsu said, dropping her on the ground "Get dressed, you're dad wants to have breakfast with you"

"That's a first" Lucy huffed, then snapped, "Hey, get out! I'm changing!"

Natsu smirked "Really, now, Lucy-San? I could help you get changed, if you want "

"_Get out!_" Lucy screeched, throwing a pillow at him. He let out a breath of fire, the pillow falling to ashes before it could even touch him.

"You jerk!" Lucy snapped, "That was my favorite pillow!"

"Calm down, I'm sure Virgo can go out and buy you another one" Natsu shrugged, referring to Lucy's handmaid. He walked out of her room as Virgo entered, rapidly telling Lucy her daily schedule.

"Good morning, Natsu-San!" the castle's animal keeper, Lisanna, smiled. Lisanna was easily the most cheerful person in the entire castle, maybe in all of Fiore.

"'Morning, Lisanna" Natsu answered, returning the smile.

"I have to admit, I'm very excited" Lisanna squealed "The master says we're having a visitor tonight! One from another kingdom!"

"Really?" Natsu asked. A visitor in the castle considered a main event to the castle servants, a chance to show off their talents.

"Actually, I overheard him talking to Mira-Nee and Elf-Niichan while I was in the barn" Lissanna admitted, smugly "Telling them to make something really special 'cause he's trying really hard to impress this queen and her children. And _actual _queen, Natsu-San! And she's coming over for dinner tonight!"

"Maybe that's why he wants to have breakfast with Lucy" Natsu said, glancing towards the door to Lucy's room.

Lisanna shook her head in disappointment "It took him long enough, honestly. He acts as if Lucy-Dono isn't here"

That statement was nothing short of the truth. King Jude often talked to the palace servants, and always about political matters. Natsu would try to bring the conversation towards Lucy, but the king would always change the subject. He never asked about his daughter, he acted like her very existence disappointed him.

Before Natsu could answer, Lucy exited her room. She was dressed in one of her most formal dresses, one covered in lace and ribbon. She looked like a goddess, and Natsu had to look away so she wouldn't see him blushing. Of course, Lisanna saw him blushing, and proceeded to smirk and poke him whispering "She looks pretty, huh, Natsu-San? Don't you think so? Doesn't she look _pretty_?"

"Princess, Natsu-San and I are to walk you to the dining hall" Virgo said, "Come now"

Natsu hissed "Shut up!" to Lisanna, and then preceded to walk Lucy to the dining hall. He opened the door for her (bowing like a gentleman should, of course), but Virgo grabbed him by the jacket before he could follow her inside.

"The king requested that we wait here for them to finish talking" Virgo said "Completely privacy"

Natsu clenched his jaw, gripping his wrist, tightly. He couldn't go very long without seeing Lucy, and then he began to get impatient. He made a deal with her, a Dragon's Blood Oath. If anything, Lucy's life and happiness meant more to Natsu than his own. Lucy practically held his soul under lock and key.

After what felt like forever, the doors swung open. Lucy exited first, followed by her father. King Jude set his hand on her shoulder, and whispered, "I'm glad you understand, daughter"

Lucy nodded, and then walked to Natsu and Virgo "Take me to my room, please"

Her eyes were full of unhappiness; the sorrow was seeping through her voice. Something happened in there that made Lucy completely miserable, he could tell, even if Virgo couldn't.

Natsu turned to Virgo "I'll take her to her room, Virgo-San. You can go and make preparations for the visitor"

Virgo nodded, and then bowed "Thank you, Natsu-San"

Natsu walked her to her room, and slammed the door behind them. Even by the noise, Lucy hadn't turned. But he could still tell she was miserable.

"What happened in there, Lucy?" Natsu asked "Why're you so sad?"

"Natsu . . ." Lucy whispered, turning to face him. Her eyes were glistening with tears, her eyes full of sadness. Natsu reached forward, taking her face in one hand and wiping away her tears. He had never seen her cry before, not in his months of service. Human tears were something he saw very rarely.

"Don't cry, Lucy" Natsu whispered, "Tell me what's wrong"

"M-My father . . . He says . . ." Lucy sobbed, "He's forcing me to marry. I'm engaged"

Natsu's world stopped.

Lucy, his Lucy, married to another man. With another man's scent polluting hers, another man holding her close. The very thought disgusted him, he was the only man she really needed. The blood binding was enough proof; he was the only man she needed. Why was it that the only one who could see that was him?

Natsu held open his arms, and Lucy rushed into him. He held her close, patting her hair and letting her sob into his shirt.

"It'll be alright," Natsu cooed, "Don't worry, it'll be ok. You'll see"

His eyes went to the mark on his wrist, a scar in the perfect shape of a dragon's body making a circle. Lucy had a similar mark on her wrist, a scar of a star inside a circle. It was the dragon's promise, to protect the human who bares the star with their life. It had a second meaning to some dragons, that this marked territory. The one who bares that star would be yours forever.

Lucy, being his forever. That was how things seemed now, and he wanted it to stay that way.

As Natsu held Lucy close, he glanced to the knife he still kept hidden under his shirt. Of all things, he hoped he still remembered how to kill a man.

_**(ˆ.ˆ)(ˆ.6)(-.-) **_

**_Ah, no, Natsu! Killing people is bad, very bad! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. :3 Don't know where I'm going to take this story . . . O.o _**

**_Like it, love it, hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed! _**

**_Aye Sir!,_**

**_Ninja _**


	2. Fair is Foul, and Foul is Fair

_**Thanks for all the reviews, guys! I really appreciate it. :3 I see a vey bright future for this story, if you know what I mean. **_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does. If I owned Fairy Tail, Natsu would have confessed a LONG time ago. Spit it out already, dude, the world is waiting!**_

_**Uh . . . here's chapter two. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Two ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * Fair is Foul, and Foul is Fair ~ * ~ * **_

_ Red. The color clouded his vision and covered his skin; it leapt from his fingertips in flames with orange and yellow. Red was something he was used to, in an Assassin's Guild; the color red was everywhere. Staining the walls and floor, it was on the Guild Member's faces and clothing. The deep red of blood, the unmistakable red of blood, the rustic smell of it that cut through the air like a knife. _

_ Natsu sighed, studying his palms. They were as red as everything else was, here. His knife was covered in dried blood, the smell hitting him full in the face. He absolutely hated the smell of blood, but he had gotten used to it. Blood hardly had a smell anymore, since he had built up such a strong resistance to it. _

_ The man he'd been paid to kill put up little fight. That was because the man was so miserable, he actually felt like dying. Natsu could sense the complete unhappiness stirring in the man, like a caged animal lashing out at the world. Humans are so pathetic, somebody _actually wanting _to end his life? Were humans just dramatic or do they purposely make life a living hell? _

"_Natsu!" Gray Fullbuster exclaimed, smiling "You're back. I take it the job went well?"_

"_Yeah," Natsu smiled. In his mind, humans were unbearable. They were stupid, short-lived, and much too proud for their own good. Like bugs just waiting to die. But Gray was different than the rest of the human lot. He was witty, smart, clever, and funny. And the only one worth talking to in the whole damn place. Natsu wasn't sure if he could call him a "friend" (as humans said), but Gray came closer than any human had ever gotten. _

_ Natsu overlooked his friend (or companion, whatever), and raised an eyebrow "You've got blood on your face". _

"_I do?" Gray touched his cheek, picking up a droplet of blood with his finger "Huh, I do. Thanks for pointing that out"_

"_No problem" Natsu said "How'd you get it on your face?" _

_ It was very common to see blood on clothing and hands, which meant the job was done. If a person had blood on their face, it meant the job got done messily. It also meant that that person had a story to tell about it, too. _

"_I was paid to push him out a window" Gray explained, "Make it look like a suicide, you know? But the guy turned and I had to stab him a little. Not enough to notice, though, they'll probably think he got a little glass in him when he jumped. Either way, he was dead before he even hit the ground"_

"_Who was he?" Natsu asked. _

"_I don't know, some run-down mayor of some run-down town," Gray said, wiping the blood of his hands "His own kid hired me to kill him. Said he wanted to be Mayor instead of the old geezer. I gotta say, the old guy was at least one hundred years old"_

"_Why a suicide and not a murder, then?" Natsu asked. _

"_I asked that. He said the whole town knew he wanted his dad dead, so he'd get charged on the spot" Gray answered "And the old guy was all alone, his wife died earlier, his daughter ran away to get married, and his son hated him. It would seem like he just wanted his life to end already, so he 'jumped'" Gray made air quotes around the word "Then the new mayor paid me 800 Jewel! So how was you're job?" _

"_Easy. The dude didn't beg or offer me money, none of that" Natsu sighed, "It was awfully boring. Plus, the guy _wanted _to die! Where's the fun in that? I at least got to burn the body, though, so it wasn't a total waste"_

"_Who hired you to kill him?" Gray asked. _

"_A business rival, said his shop was ruining his business" Natsu explained "No wife or kids, so it's the end of Stan's Weight Loss shop"_

"_Shit, now people are gonna start getting fat again. Do you know how hard it is to kill a fat guy? It's hard!" Gray exclaimed, "Damn you, Stan! You could've ran away!"_

"_Well, apparently, Stan wanted to die" Natsu rolled his eyes "And people aren't going to get fat just because one Weight Loss dude got murdered" _

"_Sure, you say that now. But one of these days, you'll see!" Gray snapped, then sighed, "Honestly, dude, I'm glad you're back. Dan's being an ass again" _

"_What now?" Natsu sighed. Dan Straight was the energetic, fun-loving guy who just _loved _to tap dance on his last nerve. And by 'energetic', he really meant that Dan needed to lay off the caffeine. _

"_He's spent the last hour showing off his lance" Gray rolled his eyes "And telling everyone he's in love with the princess, that he actually met her"_

_ Now, Dan was pretty popular in the Guild. Natsu was mainly left alone, and he liked it that way. He didn't need distractions, he didn't need friends, he _needed_ money. And all he would concentrate on was what he needed. _

"_As _if!_" Natsu laughed, "The princess is under lock and key!"_

"_That's what I told him" Gray smirked "But he swears he talked to her, and it was 'love at first sight'. He actually believes in that crap!"_

"_What an idiot" Natsu rolled his eyes. Humans are so superficial, purposely putting a single family all above the rest for worship. They always wanted to bow down to someone; they were completely and utterly lost without a leader of some sort. That was another reason why he would never fully understand humans._

_ Dan was a moron. For two things: believe in love at first sight, and wanting to meet the princess in person. The princess and her kingly father were symbols of human idolism. Whoever this princess was, Natsu knew he wanted nothing to do with her. _

(6.ˆ)(ˆ.6)(ˆ.ˆ)

_ God, I used to be so stupid_, Natsu thought as he blasted back into reality. He was currently at the front gate, dealing with one of Lucy's many problems: Dan Straight.

"For the last time, Dan, I'm not allowed to let you in the castle" Natsu rolled his eyes "King's orders"

"Not even the king can keep two people who are in love apart!" Dan exclaimed, wildly.

"Yeah, about that whole 'two people in love thing'? I think only one person in this case is in love" Natsu said.

"Liar! You're just jealous of our love!" Dan snapped, "Now let me in—"

"Bye, Dan" Natsu growled, slamming the doors and walking off. Jeez, could he not take a hint? Lucy didn't like him back, which was totally obvious, so why even keep trying? Humans _are_ persistent.

Natsu stretched out his arms, walking into Lucy's room. He sighed, knocking on the doors of Lucy's wardrobe.

"Is he gone?" Lucy's voice asked.

"Yeah" Natsu answered.

The wardrobe doors swung open, allowing Lucy to climb out. She glanced out the window, sighing.

"I don't want to be mean, but I wish he would take a hint, for a change" Lucy said, looking out the window.

"He's never going to give up, you know" Natsu smirked "No matter how many times you say it. I told him he wasn't allowed to come in, but I think he just might camp the night out there"

Lucy bit her lip "He'll leave, won't he?"

"He might. Don't worry, though, I'll protect you" Natsu said.

"That would be sweet, if you didn't have to" Lucy pulled down her sleeve, exposing her inner wrist, and the mark, a scar in the shape of a star with an outer circle. A blood oath, the Dragon's Promise to protect this person with their life. Natsu bore a mark in the same place, of a dragon making a circle with its body; it's head just above its tail. The marks had to be in the same place, should the mark have any power.

"So long as I have this, you _have _to protect me" Lucy raised an eyebrow "You've got no choice"

"You just love to rub that in my face, don't you?" Natsu teased, "Maybe I should teach you a lesson"

"Natsu?" Lucy backed away as Natsu walked towards her "Don't do anything crazy"

"Come on, Lucy, don't you think you deserve punishment? You were being mean to me" Natsu smirked, "Don't you want a visit from the _tickle monster_?"

"Damn it, Natsu!" Lucy snapped, "Take one more step and I swear I'll—"

Before she could say another word, Natsu grabbed her by the wrists and pinned her against the wall, quickly tickling her belly.

"N-Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed between laughs "S-Stop—Stop it! Right n-now!"

"Are you gonna act like you own me? I've got all day" Natsu smirked.

"Get—Off—Me!" Lucy exclaimed, pushing Natsu off with her knee. Unfortunately for her, Natsu was still holding her wrists, so she fell with him. He fell to the ground (and painfully, he might add) with Lucy right on top of him.

"Lucy-Dono, it's time to get ready for dinner—" Virgo started, opening the door. Natsu's face turned cherry red, as Lisanna and Cana (The caste's wine taster, grower, and heaviest drinker) were there, and they looked as if they were trying very hard not to laugh.

"Are we interrupting something?" Lisanna smirked.

"Better question: are we interrupting something sexy?" Cana laughed.

"No!" Lucy shrieked, jumping off of Natsu.

"No need to be embarrassed, Lucy, we all know I'm irresistible" Natsu smirked, just as Lucy threw a bar of soap at him. It hit him straight in the forehead, and it hurt like _hell_.

"Get out of my room, Natsu!" Lucy snapped, pointing out the door.

"Alright, alright, just don't throw more soap at me!" Natsu exclaimed, exiting the room. Once the door was closed, Natsu rubbed the back of his head.

"That hurt" Natsu muttered.

"So what happened in there?" Cana asked, raising an eyebrow "It looked like some pretty heavy stuff"

"I was kidding," Natsu growled, "I was tickling her, that's all"

"_She_ was on top of _you_, Natsu-San" Lisanna smirked.

"She tried to get me off her and ended up falling with me. It was totally innocent" Natsu snapped "Until she threw a bar of soap at my head!"

"_Riiiiiight_" the two girls exchanged a glance, rolling their eyes.

"I'm telling the truth!" Natsu exclaimed.

"I believe you, Natsu-San" Lisanna said "It's just that you're a teenage boy, she's a pretty girl, and she was on top of you . . . the scene's kind of obvious"

"Shut up!" Natsu snapped. He was right before, humans _are _persistent.

ヽ(*≧ω≦)ﾉo(≧∇≦o) (¬‿¬)

All servants were to line up at the back wall, representing the great Kingdom of Fiore, and more importantly, the Heartfilia family. Natsu was standing beside Elfman and Mira, the palace chefs. Elfman was also head of guard security, and he did look more like a solider than a cook. His cupcakes were to die for, that he would admit.

"I wonder who this queen is," Natsu whispered.

"King Jude says she's the queen of the Kingdom of Ōkoku" Mira answered, "I've never seen a Queen before, this'll be exciting!"

To Mira, everything in the world was exciting, but this was a little exciting to Natsu as well. There hadn't been a Queen in Magnolia Village, let alone Fiore, since Queen Layla died. This could be interesting.

At that moment, the doors swung open. King Jude overlooked all of the palace servants with a cold, demanding eye. Natsu felt his fists clench. The king of Fiore was an ungrateful, selfish man, and he didn't like him _at all_. Lucy was the only reason he actually stayed here.

"The queen of Ōkukuhas arrived. Do everything in your power to keep her and her children happy. Her youngest son will be my daughter's son, so keep all of them happy" King Jude's eyes seemed to land on Natsu "That is an _order_"

Natsu felt a low growl leap into his throat, but he restrained from letting it be heard. He needed this job, and not just for money, but also for Lucy. He _needed _to protect her, it wasn't just a want, it was a need.

The king turned, two servants opening the doors. The Queen of Ōkuku was a pretty sight, even in her age. She was a middle-aged woman with short, dark hair, pale skin, and blue-black eyes. A silver crown studded with blue gems (Sapphires, Lapis Lazuli's, and aquamarines alike) was perched on her head, but she was nowhere near overdressed. Yes, she was a queen and all, but the only piece of jewelry she wore was her crown. Compared to all other royalty, she was underdressed. She was a plain and simple woman, one who didn't ask for much. Natsu could tell.

"Lucy, darling," Jude said, a fake smile plastered to his face "Allow me to introduce Queen Ur, of Ōkuku"

Lucy gave a polite smile, offering her hand "Pleased to meet you, my name is Lucy"

"The pleasure is all mine," Queen Ur said, returning a warm smile "Let me introduce my children. This is my daughter, Ultear"

Princess Ultear, in many ways, was a somewhat spitting image of her mother. Her dark hair was much longer, and her lips blood red. She wore a purple dress, the sleeves wide, that was a bit too revealing. But everyone knows that in a palace, the princess makes the rules.

"And my son, Lyon," Ur gestured to the young man next to Ultear. His white hair was spiked upwards, and the look on his face said that he really didn't want to be here. He wore a white over coat, blue shirt, and dark pants. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and a smug, bored expression permanently etched on his face.

"Is this the man that will marry my daughter?" King Jude asked. Natsu's fists clenched. He didn't even _know_ the man he wanted Lucy to marry?

"No, my youngest son will be married to your daughter. He's coming, he said he left something in the carriage" Queen Ur gave an embarrassed smile, her cheeks turning bright pink.

Before King Jude could answer, two pairs of footsteps filled could be heard. The doors swung open, revealing a teenaged boy and girl.

The boy was probably the most underdressed person in the room. A simple long white jacket and dark pants, his black hair in a somewhat spiked fashion. His eyes were a dark blue, his skin not tan, yet not pale, either. He gave everyone in the room a smile that could light a candle.

"I'm sorry I'm late, everyone, but I left my jacket behind and Kōri wouldn't let me come in without it," the boy said.

"You would just get cold and want to go back and get it, later" the girl snapped. The girl also seemed to be underdressed for royalty, she wore a skin-tight black leotard, with leggings and black leather boots. Her belt (in guess what color? Black!) Had a sword and two daggers hanging from it, her attire seemed to be much more expensive than the boys. Her long, snow-white hair was tied back into a ponytail; her eyes were an icy blue color, and her skin almost as pale as her hair.

"Ah, King Jude, this is my youngest son, Gray," Queen Ur smiled "He will be marrying your daughter"

Natsu's eyes widened. Gray Fullbuster, the only friend he could remember. There was no way in hell he was a _prince_, not when he was an assassin just last year. And he knew he didn't recognize the girl with white hair, and Queen Ur hadn't mentioned her, so they weren't related. Who the hell was she?

_ What the hell is going on here? _

ლ(́◉◞౪◟◉‵ლ) (¬‿¬)(´･_･`)

_**I found a way to get Gray and Dan into the story! Yay, woo! Anyway, I know I didn't mention an O.C. before, but this was kind of a last-minute thing. I was halfway through the chapter when I decided I needed to make the twist a bit more interesting. Gray's not in love with this new chick or anything, so calm down. Nothing to big, ok? **_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	3. The Course of Love Never Did Run Smooth

_**Was I too fast to upload this chapter? I got a little excited, you see . . . :3 Yeah, hope you enjoy! **_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail.**_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Three ~ * ~ * **_

_**~ * ~ * The Course of Love Never Did Run Smooth ~ * ~ * **_

_The day Natsu met Lucy for the first time was a rainy one. All day, rain fell in bucketful's, in both water and shards of ice. _

_Lucy was walking under her umbrella, but he refused to take shelter from her. If he walked under with her, she might get wet. And ruin her beauty? Not that he would admit it, but he would never let that happen. _

_So he hung his head, letting ice and rain alike hit him. What mattered was keeping his new Mistress safe from any type of harm. And now he knew for a fact that getting hit in the head with ice _hurt_. _

"_We're here," Lucy said, walking to the palace gates. Natsu's eyes widened, he never thought humans were capable of creating such beauty. Blues and golds and whites, polished marble the color of fallen snow. It was the biggest building he'd ever seen in his life. _

_He only took a minute to gape, and then followed Lucy into the castle. She hung up her cloak, revealing to be wearing a long, dark pink dress, adorned with lace, red ribbons, and a single, red rose. She wore her hair in a bun, with a pearl crown, and a lace chocker around her neck. _

"_Follow me" Lucy said, walking up the stairs. Natsu followed her, into the sole tallest tower in the entire castle._

_Lucy closed the door behind them "This is my bedroom. I read all about your kind"_

"_What is 'my kind'?" Natsu raised an eyebrow._

"_Dragons, of course" Lucy responded, "I want only the best to protect me. I would like for you to perform the Dragon's Blood Oath on the two of us"_

_Natsu hesitated. Something about her told him she didn't fully understand the Blood Oath. It was a declaration of love from a dragon, to mark them as your own, to protect them with your life. Natsu's father had marked Natsu's mother, and Natsu's grandmother had marked Natsu's grandfather. You marked your Soul Mate, and no one else. Since he wanted nothing to do with humans, getting stuck with one for all eternity didn't seem very promising. _

_But, to be honest, forever with Lucy didn't seem so bad. She was beautiful, and she found him, knowing he was a dragon. She knew about the Blood Oath, and sought him out herself. She's a clever girl, and she seemed like a girl worth protecting. _

_Natsu took out his knife, unsheathing it quickly "Where do you want it?"_

"_You're supposed to be protecting me, not threatening me!" Lucy exclaimed. _

"_The Blood Oath leaves a mark, a scar" Natsu rolled his eyes "Where do you want the mark to be?" _

"_Oh," Lucy pulled down her sleeve, showing her inner wrist "Here, so my dad won't notice if I wear long sleeves"_

_Natsu bit his lip. Now, time for the hard part. He held the blade against his wrist, shutting his eyes and cutting into the skin. He hissed, biting his lip, refusing to cry out in pain. Not when he was supposed to be her fearless protector. _

_He took out the knife, looking to Lucy "Give me your wrist". _

_She looked terrified, but held out her wrist. Natsu took her hand, giving it a tight squeeze before holding the knife against her skin. _

"_On three?" Natsu offered. Lucy closed her eyes, nodding quickly._

"_One . . ." he steadied his blade "Two . . . Three!" As quickly and as sharply as he could, he pierced her skin with his knife. A single tear rolled down Lucy's cheek, her eyes shut tight, as Natsu sheathed his knife. _

"_Now grab my arm," Natsu said. Lucy followed his directions, the two tightly gripping each other's opposite arm. _

"_This will only sting a little" Natsu explained, tracing a vine of fire around the two's arms. The fire twisted and curled around their arms, glowing around their wrists, the flames ending at their shoulders._

"_I, Natsu Dragneel, swear to be your faithful and loyal servant. To put your happiness and wellbeing before my own, and to protect you with my life when necessary" Natsu chanted, "Do you accept my services?"_

"_I accept" Lucy answered, the fire of his magic giving a final glow before disappearing completely. Natsu let go of her arm, overlooking his wrist. _

_All of the blood was gone, replaced with a scar. It could be easily mistaken for a tattoo, one of a dragon's body curling into a circle. It rested its head just above its tail, mouth open to show a delicate ordeal of fangs. _

_Lucy was staring at her wrist, at her mark, when she asked "Natsu, would you really protect me with your life?"_

_Natsu didn't hesitate to bow and say "But of course. A dragon must keep his Blood Oath, or else he'd be doomed to an eternity of endless pain and misery"._

"_Oh, so you're forced to?" Lucy raised an eyebrow "I feel so loved"_

You should_, Natsu thought as he gave Lucy a playful, toothy grin. _After all, you're mine now.

*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:* (⌒▽⌒) ⊂((・▽・))⊃

Natsu remembered Gray covered in blood. He was often given the bad luck of having victims who fought hard, so he would be covered in blood, to a point where he couldn't get rid of all the red. It was permanently stained in his clothes and hair, to a point where it became a part of him.

Maybe that's why he couldn't recognize him. The red was gone; he looked like any other prince of utter perfection. His hair was shining, black as a raven's wings, and his clothes of the finest silk. Gray and his siblings looked to be the very face of perfection.

"Prince Gray, you're servant can stand with mine" King Jude said.

"With all respect, King Jude," Gray flashed a smile "I would prefer it if Kōri stood by me"

"O—Of course" King Jude spluttered "Let's not get distracted, it's time for dinner. Mira Jane, pour the wine"

Mira rushed forward, filling everyone's cups. She was literally shaking, trying her hardest not to spill the wine. Keep the guests happy, number one rule of palace visitation.

"Really, Gray? She can't leave your sight even for dinner?" Ultear rolled her eyes, taking a sip of wine.

"Now, now, Ul-Tan, it's not my fault you don't have a Body Guard" Gray smirked over his glass. A vein popped in Ultear's forehead as she scowled at her younger brother.

"King Jude, if I may ask," Queen Ur said "Are you having a bit of a Dragon Problem here in Fiore?"

Natsu stiffened, wondering if he heard her right. He hadn't heard of any dragons, none other than himself. His parents had died when he was young; he wasn't even sure that there _were_ other dragons out there.

"Dragons? No, I haven't heard a word about dragons since the Fiore Wildfire" King Jude raised an eyebrow "Why? Are you?"

"It's not certain," Lyon said, answering for his mother "But fires have been everywhere in Ōkoku. The townspeople have been blaming it on dragons"

"A foolish accusation," Gray rolled his eyes "Dragons are noble creatures. No other kingdom has been complaining about dragons, why would they waste their time on Ōkoku? I believe we have a terrorist problem rather than a dragon problem"

"What an intelligent young man! I can tell, you will be an excellent husband for my daughter" King Jude praised, a gigantic smile plastered to his face.

"I do hope so," Gray smiled, his eyes darted to Natsu for a mere second.

His next movement was quick; Natsu didn't think anyone else saw it. But his dragon eyes made it impossible for him to miss it. Gray's finger darted out, tipping his glass over, spilling the blood red liquid all over the tablecloth.

"Ah!" Gray exclaimed, "How did that happen?"

"It's alright my dear boy," King Jude smiled "Happens to the best of us"

"You," Gray pointed to Natsu "Come here, clean it up"

Natsu tried to show no emotion as he grabbed a rag, mopping up the spilled wine. The king and the rest of the guests continued their conversation as if nothing ever happened.

"Good to see you're doing ok," Gray whispered.

Natsu continued to clean as he whispered, "What are you doing here? How are you a prince?"

"I've always been a prince," Gray responded "I ran away. When you left, things got really boring really fast. My mom invited me back, said I could be king of someplace"

"You're not facing charges?" Natsu asked, trying to clean the mess up faster.

"Don't you know that money makes the rules? I'm not even doing community service" Gray smirked.

"Damn, you're lucky. Who's she?" Natsu asked.

"Who I said she was, my bodyguard" Gray answered, "Her name is Kōri".

Natsu wiped out the last stain, tossing the rag away and returning to his place next to the other servants. As Elfman began to pass out dinner, Natsu pondered.

Gray had changed a lot, but one thing had changed entirely. He remembered that Gray's scent smelled like a mixture of blood and ice mint. Now his scent was completely different, something he never smelled before. It was completely unrecognizable; there was no way his scent could've changed entirely.

Something told him that money wasn't the only thing that had changed Gray. And that Kōri had something to do with it.

(●⌒∇⌒●)（'-'*)【・_・?】

Gray sighed happily, collapsing on his bed. Stretching out his arms, he smiled to himself. Things were beginning to fall into place for him.

"What're you so happy about?" Kōri asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Everything," Gray said, smiling "The world just turned into a good place for me, you know. My future wife is a total beauty, I'm going to be king of this place, and I finally have something that Ultear doesn't. Life is good. I finally have everything I ever wanted"

"Not everything," Kōri pointed out "What about Juvia?"

Gray's face fell "What about her?"

"What do you mean 'what about her'? Don't you love her?" Kōri asked.

"I care for her," Gray sighed "And I do want her. But . . . I need to be king, Kōri. It'll help my kingdom, and Lucy-Sama's kingdom. Every body wins"

"Except you" Kōri said.

"Yeah, well, kingdom first" Gray said, "Anyway, being married to Princess Lucy doesn't seem too bad, anyway"

"About your fiancée," Kōri said "I would be suspicious of her, at that bodyguard of hers, if I were you"

"Really? Why?" Gray asked.

"It's her scent. She smells like a dragon" Kōri said, looking over all the outfits in her new wardrobe.

"You think she has a Guardian?" Gray's eyes widened "More specifically, you think Natsu is a dragon?"

"It's a suspicion, a suspicion only," Kōri admitted.

"He did seem very angry at my engagement with Lucy," Gray thought "What was it you told me about when we made the oath? The Soul Mate principle?"

"Oh, _that_" Kōri rolled her eyes "It's just a male dragon fairy tale. They think the human they mark will be 'theirs forever'. It's a stupid daydream they live in"

"So, if Natsu _is _a dragon, and he marked Lucy . . ." Gray took of his shirt, revealing a mark on his shoulder blade, one of a star inside a circle.

"Kōri, I want you to keep a close eye on Natsu. Find out if he is a dragon, and if he marked Lucy" Gray said, his mark flashing for a mere second "That is an order"

Kōri gave a small bow "Yes, Sir". She had made an oath, to be a faithful servant, to Gray Fullbuster for as long as she should live. She would give him what he wanted, and he wanted what was best for his kingdom and his people. He wanted to be king.

And she would go to the ends of the Earth to get him what he wanted.

Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ（ ´∀｀）(^～^)

_**Ok, I don't think I accomplished much in this chapter . . . kind of a filler, actually . . . sort of. Oh, and **__**'Kōri' is Japanese for 'ice'. I wanted her name to mean winter, so her name and Natsu's name could be 'summer and winter'. But the Japanese word for 'winter' is 'Fuyu' and who the hell would name their kid that? So, rather, it's 'fire and ice'. That works too, right?**_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

**_Aye, Sir!,_**

**_Ninja_**


	4. I Was Adored Once, Too

_**Hey, everyone! Thanks for all the reviews! And about the fact that chapter 1 was just named 'Chapter One', you guys were right, I was too lazy to give it a real name. I didn't name it because I didn't know if I would continue this story (My main rule is continue it if it gets at least 4 reviews), so I kept it unnamed. But that problem is fixed now! Thanks for pointing that out; seriously, I wouldn't have noticed if you didn't. **_

_**Anyway, I don't own Fairy Tail. On with the story! **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Four ~ * ~ * **_

_**~ * ~ * I was adored once, too ~ * ~ * **_

_He was obsessed. Kept up late at night thinking about her, she danced through his thoughts and dreams, weaving in and out of existence. Yet he didn't even know her name. _

_Every time he saw her, it was raining. A beautiful girl with blue locks and skin like fallen snow. She was covered in blue; it was her hair, her eyes, and her clothing. The way blue droplets of rain fastened themselves in her hair and skin, it made her look even more beautiful._

_And she was always alone, whenever he watched her. People strived to avoid her; she would only walk into town for mere moments. To do her shopping, only the shopkeepers seemed to take a liking to her, and that was because she was a paying customer. _

"_Gray, do you want to the gardens?" K__ōri offered "You like the rain, right?"_

"_In a minute," Gray said, staring out the window. He only got to see her a few times, once every week if he was lucky. He was going to use this time wisely. _

"_Please, Gray, just leave the window for one moment" K__ōri pleaded, "You do this every Thursday, I'm worried about you. Just come down to the gardens with me, please"_

"_I said in a minute, __K__ōri!" Gray snapped "I'll go to the gardens with you, just give me a minute"_

_K__ōri looked taken aback, then sighed "How long are you going to watch her, Gray?"_

"_Huh?" Gray asked. _

"_That girl, the one in town. How long are you just going to watch her?" __K__ōri asked._

"_I . . . I don't know" Gray sighed._

"_Gray, I am your Guardian. And I refuse to sit back and watch while you're unhappy" __K__ōri said. _

"_That's very nice, but what are you doing to do about it?" Gray asked. _

_K__ōri grabbed a raincoat and gestured for Gray to follow her. She walked out of his room, down to the front gates. _

"_Prince Gray, you aren't allowed to the cast—" one guard started, but __K__ōri knocked him out with a single punch. She gave the other guard a look of stone-cold ice._

"_Not a word" __K__ōri commanded, the guard cringed, nodding and allowing them to pass. _

_The rain was falling hard, matting the hair to Gray's head. __K__ōri had offered him her raincoat, but he refused. Not only would it be disrespectful for him to let a woman get wet, and he felt close to her in the rain. It was always raining when he saw her, to a point where the rain became a part of her, a symbol of her uniqueness. _

_Then he saw her. Exciting a shop, a single bag in her hands. She looked even prettier up close, where he could see every detail of her face. _

"_Hey!" Gray yelled, running to her. The girl's eyes widened in fear when she saw him, and then turned on her heels and ran off._

"_Wait!" Gray shouted chasing after her. He knew __K__ōri wasn't following him, and that did scare him a little. Out in the open without her protection, he felt unsafe, exposed, like a knight charging into battle without armor. But all that really mattered was finally being able to talk to her. _

_The girl took a turn into an ally, meeting a quick dead end. She turned to face him, the rain streaking down her cheeks, almost like tears. _

"_What is it, your highness?" she asked "What do you want?"_

_Gray hesitated, surprised she even recognized him. He shook the feeling off and said, "I want to talk to you"_

_The girl shook her head quickly "No, your highness. That's what they all say"_

"_What do you mean?" Gray asked. _

"_They say they want to talk to Juvia, to get to know her. But they always end up leaving. They can't put up with Juvia for very long. Everybody Juvia meets end up leaving her in the end" the girls eyes were full of sorrow, of endless sadness "Juvia wasn't meant to be happy in human company. They don't like the way she walks, talks, acts"_

"_I like the way you talk" Gray said, "I like you, I like everything about you. I just want to know you, that's all"_

_The girl hesitated, her eyes sparkling with tears "The Prince Gray . . . cares about me?"_

_Gray held out his hand "Tell me, what is your name?"_

"_J-Juvia" the girl spluttered, taking his hand. He smiled at her, as the sunlight broke through the air. The clouds parted, the rain finally clearing. The sunlight felt warm, and better than it had ever felt before in his life. _

"_The sun . . . I've never seen it before . . ." Juvia whispered, tears of happiness dotting her eyes and falling down her cheeks. _

"_It's beautiful, isn't it?" Gray asked, giving her hand a squeeze. _

_Juvia looked at him, as if seeing Gray with a whole new light. And Gray didn't know at the time, but she smiled for the very first time in her entire life. _

"_Yes, it is" Juvia answered. _

(^_−) ヽ(；▽；)ノ d=(´▽｀)=b

Gray's eyes darted open, his hands reaching out, seeking warmth. He was alone, truly. He hated the feeling.

Back when he was an assassin, loneliness was a common feeling. His dreams were haunted by nightmares, some caused he woke up screaming. He hated to be alone when the nightmares happened; he hated being alone all together. He never wanted to be alone again, for this case; he usually had Kōri sleep in the same bed as him. Not like they were dating, or that she was even human, and she didn't mind. It didn't strike his mind as wrong or romantic, it was just Kōri.

In Ōkoku, Juvia was usually the one in his bed. He honestly wished she was with him, that he could see her first thing when he woke up, just like he used to. But now he had nothing but memories of her.

But now he had the problem at hand. Where _was_ she? He remembered sleeping with Kōri next to him, there was no way she just disappeared in the middle of the night.

He got up, stretching out his arms. He looked to his bedside table, smiling in relief. A thorn-incrusted rose, one constructed completely of ice. Whenever she left without him knowing, she left an ice rose behind in plain sight. To tell him 'I'm ok, not kidnapped. I'll be back soon', should he wake up before she came back.

He got dressed quickly, in his normal attire. He looked over himself in the mirror, in his eyes, he didn't look like the prince everyone seemed to see him as. He looked like _Gray_; he hadn't changed in his eyes. He was still Gray, even if someone gave him new clothes and a haircut.

"Good morning—" Kōri started, walking in. She was interrupted as Gray gave her a tight hug, almost refusing to let go.

Kōri smiled, returned the hug "You know I didn't go anywhere"

"You know I hate being alone" Gray retorted.

Kōri shrugged, pushing him away lightly "Anyway, I'm almost positive that Natsu is a dragon. Nothing to prove it, though, I haven't seen a mark"

"That could be a good or bad thing," Gray sighed, "If he thinks Lucy is 'his', then marrying her could be a problem. Why do you dragons say that the people you love are 'yours'?"

"Because the people you love should love no one else" Kōri explained "But if I just get him to show his mark . . ."

"I think you're working yourself to hard, Kōri" Gray said "I'll talk to Natsu, I'm pretty sure he trusts me"

"So you're going to betray him?" Kōri raised an eyebrow.

"It's not a betrayal. It's a confession" Gray smirked.

ヽ(＾▽＾)人(＾▽＾)人(＾▽＾)ﾉ

Without Lucy, Natsu's life seemed incredibly boring. He was to escort her to all her classes, but he wasn't allowed to attend him. So he was reduced to playing chess with some of the guards.

"Checkmate!" Natsu exclaimed. The guard sighed in annoyance.

"That's _my_ piece, Natsu, _you're_ the white set," the guard explained.

"I'm supposed to use my set?" Natsu raised an eyebrow.

"Chess, interesting" A new voice said, "Can I play?"

Gray had his hands in his pockets, and he looked extremely cocky. The guard looked happy to escape the torture of playing chess with Natsu, jumping up and striding away.

"All yours, Gray-Dono" the guard said. Gray smiled, taking a seat.

"Do you even know how to play chess?" Gray asked.

"Yes," Natsu snapped. He wasn't going to give Gray the pleasure of speaking to him, not the pleasure of a carefree conversation. If anything, he was going to give Gray a hard time.

Gray made the first move, taking his king and taking Natsu's bishop. Natsu raised an eyebrow.

"Putting your king out in the open?" Natsu asked, moving his knight towards Gray's king "A bold, stupid move"

"Bold moves aren't always stupid. People get distracted by big promises, and when they do" Gray moved his piece, taking Natsu's knight "You can use it against them"

Natsu smirked "Smart, very smart. But this proves nothing. I suck at chess"

"True, but it does prove that I can use your vulnerability against you" Gray said, "You don't know the rules of the game. I could've cheated"

Natsu's eyes widened "Did you?"

"No," Gray smirked "But, then again, I could be lying"

"Stop trying to mess up my brain!" Natsu snapped.

Gray laughed "This is too much fun"

"Really? Because I'm not exactly enjoying myself, here" Natsu rolled his eyes, moving his bishop. Gray raised an eyebrow.

"What's that on your wrist?" Gray asked.

"Oh, uh, this?" Natsu held up his arm, showing his scar "It's a tattoo. I got it after I got kicked out. Cool, huh?"

"Very cool" Gray smiled "I've always wanted to get a tattoo. Mom says they're unprofessional, she usually won't let me go anywhere near anyone with a tattoo"

Before Natsu could answer, the doors swung open. Lucy walked out, followed by Levy and Samuel, the palace Librarians. Levy taught Lucy writing and literature, while Samuel taught history and science.

"Lucy, there you are!" Gray exclaimed before Natsu could even open his mouth "I was just playing a game with Natsu here"

"You play chess?" Lucy asked, cheeks tainting pink when she heard that Gray say he was looking for her.

"Do you?" Gray asked.

"I love it. My mother taught me," Lucy said.

"Then your mother was a very intelligent woman. Chess is a hard game to mater, but I bet you're excellent at it" Gray smiled "Perhaps we could share a game?"

"That . . . That would be nice" Lucy smiled.

"Maybe later," Natsu said, standing up "But Lucy has to get to her music class"

"That's right" Natsu turned, seeing Kōri walk over "And Gray still has his studies. He needs to be in Fiore history right now"

"Yes, of course" Lucy gave a low curtsy "I look forward to playing chess with you, Gray"

"Likewise" Gray smiled, walking into the library, Kōri following close behind. The ruler of _her_ kingdom let her sit through classes with _Gray_. Because Gray couldn't be without his little bodyguard for more than ten seconds, because Gray got everything he wanted out of life.

_That sneaky little bastard_, Natsu thought through gritted teeth as he led Lucy through the hallway.

(ノ^_^)ノo(^^o) ヾ(^ ^ゞ

As the two walked, Kōri raised an eyebrow towards Gray.

"Find any information?" Kōri asked.

"Yes," Gray answered, "He has the mark. He's a dragon, and if he's protecting anyone, it's Lucy"

"Then this could be a problem," Kōri said.

"Not a problem. A distraction, yes," Gray said "But not a problem. I'm going to marry Lucy, there's nothing he can do about it. He's going to have to suck it up and deal with it"

"Are you sure that's necessary?" Kōri asked.

"Undoubtedly" Gray said, but his heart wasn't in it. It never would be, so long as it beat for another.

_Juvia . . . _

_I'm so sorry. _

ψ(｀∇´)ψ (n˘v˘•)¬ ヽ(｀⌒´メ)ノ

_**Well, here it is! I'm actually super proud with this chapter. I know it's Juvia that's obsessed with Gray, but I changed it a little for the good of the story. **_

_**If you got an email talking about chapter three twice, I'm really sorry. Had a little trouble with changing chapter 1's name. Won't happen again, sorry for the inconvenience. **_

_**Like it, love it, hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed! **_

_**Aye Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	5. An Overflow of Good Converts To Bad

_**I decided that I should include how Gray found K**__**ōri, and to add a bit more NaLu**__**. **_(⌒.−)＝

_**I don't own Fairy Tail. On to the story: **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Five ~ * ~ * **_

_**~ * ~ * An Overflow of Good Converts To Bad ~ * ~ ***_

_The snow was up to Gray's ankles, chilling him to the bone. His breath turned to fog as soon as it left his mouth; he trudged up the mountain. This was very cold, even for him, and Gray Fullbuster hardly ever got cold. _

_Once he reached the top, he nearly fell in exhaustion. It was so cold his sweat turned to ice as soon as it came into existence, and the cold air filled his lungs like a silent killer. But hopefully, this will all be worth it in the end._

"_Hello?" Gray shouted, his voice horse "I'm looking for the Ice Dragon of the North Mountains! Hello? I only want to talk—"_

_He yelled in alarm as a figure seemed to leap out of the snow, he scrambled backwards. The figure was huge, at least the size of a stallion, and very lizard like. _

_The Dragon of the North hissed, showing an ordeal of fangs, it's tongue darting in and out of its mouth, tasting the air. Its scales were a mixture of white and blue, as to blend in with any ice or snow. Its paws gnarled into talons, it streaked amongst the ground like a lizard. _

"Who are you?_" The voice, obviously female, demanded "_And what the hell do you want?_"_

_The voice rang in his ears, but Gray knew it wasn't a sound. It was a voice in his head, from the dragon, that he knew for certain._

"_I have a proposition for you—" Gray started, but the dragon snarled in response, snapping it's gigantic jaws in frustration. _

"Did I fucking _stutter_?" the dragon snapped, "Who are you and what the hell do you want?_"_

_Gray hesitated, and then said, "I am Gray Fullbuster, prince of the Kingdom of __Ōkoku". _

"Oh?_" The dragon's voice seemed cool and mocking, Gray could've sworn he saw the dragon smirk "_I had no idea, you're highness, that I was talking to a man of such human idolization_"_

"_W-What do you mean?" Gray asked, as the dragon began to circle him, like a vulture circling a dead animal. _

"I suppose you expect me to bow, now, don't you?_" the dragon dipped it's head mockingly, "_Better yet, don't you expect this mountain to bow to you, just like your petty humans? Who carried you up this mountain, my dear prince? A servant or a pheasant?"

_Gray gritted his teeth "I walked up here, on my own"_

"That must be such an accomplishment for you_" the dragon said. _

"_You asked what I want. I want you to protect me" Gray said "The Dragon's Blood Oath, that's what I want"_

"You actually expect me to do such a thing?_" the dragon leapt forward, snarling, showing glistening white fangs "_To practically sell my soul to keep you safe? You selfish, insolent little—_"_

"_I want a bodyguard, not a slave," Gray said, swallowing his fear, trying to look brave "I don't want your soul. I want for you to protect me. I hear you're the best at what you do, and what you do is protect"_

_For the first time, Gray noticed the dragon's eyes. They were prettiest shade of light, icy blue he'd ever seen, eyes that didn't seem to belong on such a ferocious creature. Eyes full of pain, sadness, and ferocity, ones that had seen too much in their lifetime. _

"I have never protected anyone before_" the dragon said, "_Whoever told you that is a liar. The only thing I'm good at is killing_"_

"_People used to say that about me" Gray said, offering a smile. _

"Give me one good reason I should do it, Prince!_" the dragon hissed "_Because right now, you're getting absolutely nowhere with me!_"_

"_Because you're dying" Gray said with a straight, serious face. _

"What?_" the dragon hissed. _

"_Don't try bluffing, dragon, because it isn't going to work!" Gray snapped, tired of the games the dragon seemed to be playing with his mind "I know what magic you do! You could've frozen me on the spot rather than showing your fangs and giving me empty threats! You're so weak you can't even do magic anymore! This place—it isn't a home. It's a tomb, an icy one. You came here because you knew you'd die if you stayed long enough"_

_The dragon didn't respond, but the look in its eyes told Gray that his every word was true._

"_You're ashamed of your past, I get it" Gray sighed "But you can get rid of all those red stains instead of dying with them. Come with me, I'll give you food, shelter, money, training. Your every wish would be my command"_

_The dragon didn't answer, but the ferocity in its gaze was gone. Replaced with thoughtfulness and worry. _

"_I'll come back tomorrow" Gray said "You can give me an answer then"_

_Gray turned, surprised to hear that the dragon didn't follow him. Leaving the dragon's distracting presence did mean going back into that god-awful cold, though. He tightened his scarf, buttoning up his jacket. _

_He was halfway down the mountain when he hard someone calling his name. _

"_Gray! Gray-Kun!"_

_He turned, and could safely say that he'd never seen this girl in his life. Her hair was long—extremely long, and white as snow. Even in the cold, she was only wearing a blue leotard. _

_She took in a breath, stopping in front of Gray. She was shorter than him, her head stopped at his nose, so she had to look up to see him in the eye. Her eyes, icy blue, and the same eyes as the dragon he just talked to. This was her human form. _

"_I have decided to take up on your offer," the girl, or rather the dragon, said. _

"_Great!" Gray smiled, offering her hand to shake "Now tell me, what is your name?"_

_The girl smiled, and took his hand "I am Kōri __Hiryū__, the Ice Dragon"_

＼( ^o)( ^ 0 ^ )(o^ )／

"Gray-Dono? _Gray-Dono_!"

Gray blinked, skyrocketing back to reality. Samuel, the Fiore librarian, was shaking his head in disappointment at him. Kōri, on the other hand, looked like she was trying extremely hard not to laugh.

Samuel looked too young to be so damn stiff. He had sky blue-green hair, in the neatest way possible, and black eyes behind huge, circular glasses. He did _dress_ like a librarian, that Gray admitted. He fit the 'librarian' card perfectly; he just needed to learn how to have fun.

"Are you paying attention, Gray-San?" Samuel demanded.

_I'm not Gray-Dono when I'm in trouble, then? _Gray thought, but ended up saying "Yes, Samuel-Sensei"

"Then what was I talking about?" Samuel raised an eyebrow, his glasses flashing dramatically in the light.

Gray glanced to Kōri, silently begging for help. Kōri smirked, mouthed 'you should've been listening', and pulled down her lower eyelid and stuck out her tongue.

Gray gritted his teeth, mouthing 'damn you'.

"Gray-San, I'm waiting for an answer," Samuel said.

Gray sighed, "I don't know, Samuel-Sensei"

"Well, then, that's why we come to class" Samuel pushed up his glasses with a dramatic flash "To listen and to learn. I wouldn't waste my time on spoiled brats like you if neither of us got something out of it. Am I clear to you, Gray-San?"

Gray gritted his teeth "Crystal clear, Samuel-Sensei"

"Wonderful. I was talking about the Fiore Wildfire, surly you would know of that" Samuel said.

"I do, Samuel-Sensei" Gray responded. This guy was seriously starting to get on his nerves.

"Care to tell me about it, then?" Samuel asked, smiling.

Gray sighed, and then stated his facts by memory "In 1666 a large group of terrorist attacks were set on various parts of Fiore. The attacks went on for six months straight, a random act of setting fire to private and noble homes. Five years ago today, the last and most infamous 'Fiore Wildfire' happened, when a raged fire nearly burned all of Magnolia to ashes. After the crimes died down, the terrorist in question was never caught. Goodbye, the end"

Samuel's eyes were huge behind his glasses, but he quickly crossed his arms and pushed up his glasses, just like always.

"It seems you know your facts, Gray-San. Very well," Samuel said, his tone hinting that he wasn't the least bit impressed by Gray's information "Onto the lesson. In 1666, a large group of terrorist attacks were set on various parts of Fiore. The attacks went on for—"

Gray sighed in annoyance, resting his head on his palm. For a mere second, his eyes went to Kōri. She looked hurt, saddened, and completely miserable. And Gray could've been imagining it, but he could've sworn he saw the reflection of fire glinting in her eyes.

(´ ▽｀).。ｏ L-O-V-E!

"Ugh," Natsu took off his shirt, leaning back in his chair "Today was rough"

"I was the one doing all the learning!" Lucy snapped "You just walked me to my classes. And no stripping in my room, put your shirt back on"

"What? Don't tell me you don't like what you see?" Natsu smirked.

"I'm a promised woman, Natsu, remember?" Lucy laughed, showing her engagement ring.

Natsu's face fell as he stared at the ring on her finger. It glistened and shined in the sunlight; and it wasn't even a diamond. It was a gold ring, its vines twisting around a flame red gem.

He clenched his teeth, grabbing his shirt and slipping it back on. He huffed, leaning up against the wall again. How could she even joke about that? Showing off her dumb little ring, not caring about how it might make him feel.

"Natsu? Are you ok?" Lucy asked, "I was only kidding"

Natsu opened one eye, just to get a good look at her expression. She looked hurt, and sad. Not to mention lonely, even in his presence. He knew the feeling; he was feeling the same right now. That Lucy was here, but she wasn't. She was here physically, but not mentally.

"I know," Natsu said, opening both eyes. Lucy's eyes began to water with tears.

"Great, now you're acting weird, too?" Lucy snapped, tears streaming down her cheeks "I hate this! I hate this marriage, I hate my father . . . and _I hate this ring!_"

With that, Lucy ripped off her engagement ring, slamming it against the wooden floor. It broke in two, the gem and the ring separated from each other and lying into symmetrical pieces on the floor.

Lucy collapsed on her bed, head in her hands, sobbing quietly. Natsu was frozen in shock, he never seen Lucy so enraged. And he never heard her say she hated something, let alone someone.

He walked forward, picking up both pieces of the ring and setting them in his pocket. He sat next to Lucy, resting an arm around her shoulders.

Lucy turned, an arm around his neck, sobbing into his shirt "This is so unfair . . ." she whispered.

Natsu held her close, keeping her safe and warm in his embrace "I know, Lucy, I know"

"He shouldn't force me to marry him, I know it's best for my kingdom but . . . there has to be some other way" Lucy sobbed.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but why do you care so much?" Natsu asked "I mean, it's a marriage, but it's for the good of your kingdom, right? I know you, Lucy, and if that isn't enough . . . there has to be an alternate reason"

"Well because . . . because . . . I think I'm in love with someone else" Lucy said.

That comment made him forget how to breathe for a second, there. As soon as he remembered, he asked "Who?"

Lucy shook her head, tears scattering like raindrops "It's a secret"

"C'mon, Lucy, you can tell me" Natsu smiled "I won't tell anyone, honest! Now who is it?"

Lucy just shook her head again "I can't tell you"

"Well, why not? I promise I won't tell any—" Natsu started, but Lucy grabbed him by the shoulder and put a finger to his lips, silencing him.

"Natsu, for the last time, I _can't tell you_" Lucy said, removing her hand. Natsu opened his mouth to speak, but Lucy leaned forward, fastening her lips to his and completely silencing him.

He had told himself she was his, but he never expected this from her. Just yesterday, the girl who threw a bar of soap at his head was now kissing him with a fierce fire and undying passion.

That is all he ever wanted from her. Not petty friendship, and definitely not the relation of servant and master. He wanted hot, undying passion and nothing less. Now he was finally getting that.

Lucy broke away first, her arms around his neck. She sighed, and then smiled at him "But I can _show _you".

"Showing. I like showing" was all Natsu managed to say. Lucy laughed, and then laid her head in the crook of his neck.

"Now do you see why? I can't marry Gray, Natsu. He's a wonderful man and he'll make a great king, but . . ." Lucy bit her lip.

Natsu hugged her closer "But that's not enough, is it?"

Lucy shook her head "It will never be enough. Not when I love you, Natsu".

He'd wanted to hear her say that for so long, and now . . . he knew what he had to say. Being with her meant for Lucy to practically throw her life away, and he would never let her do that. Lucy's wellbeing, over all, came before both his happiness and her own.

"You have to marry Gray, Lucy" Natsu said.

"What?" Lucy looked up "Does that mean . . . you don't love me back . . .?"

"No, Lucy, I love you. With everything I am" Natsu responded "But this is something you need to do. For your kingdom, and for yourself. That's a responsibility you were born with"

Natsu kissed her on the forehead "I'm never going to leave you, Lucy. I'm not going anywhere"

Lucy clutched onto his shirt "Promise?"

"I promise" Natsu said, smiling. He glanced out the window, seeing that the moon was at its peak in the sky.

"It's getting late, Princess" Natsu said, getting to his feet "You should get to sleep. I'll see you in the morning"

"No, Natsu, wait!" Lucy exclaimed, grabbing his arm "Please don't leave me tonight. Just . . . stay. Just for tonight" Lucy hesitated, then showed him the mark on her wrist "Uh, that's an order!". The mark gave a small flash, causing Lucy to jump in surprise.

"I didn't think that would actually work," Lucy muttered.

Natsu smirked, but gave a low bow "As you wish, Mistress"

(ღ˘⌣˘ღ) ･*:.｡. .｡.:*･ (ღ˘⌣˘ღ) ･*:.｡. .｡.:*･ ✖‿✖

The lights of dawn shone through the open curtains, causing Natsu to blink awake. He was curled up in Lucy's bed, with Lucy herself in his arms. She was so peaceful, so beautiful, in her sleep.

Gently, as not to wake her, he slipped out of bed. By the way the light shone and the bird's sung, he was guessing it was early morning. He smiled to himself. Perfect. This was something he always wanted to do, but never had the chance.

Every Friday, Loki, one of the palace servants, came to wake Lucy up in the morning. Only to flirt with her like crazy, which normally annoyed the living hell out of Natsu. And Loki knew that, so he made it a habit to make her blush and call her beautiful when he was around those mornings. Now it was payback time.

By the looks of it, Loki will be around soon. As quickly as he could, Natsu ruffled his hair, took off his shirt, leaving him in only his pajama bottoms. He almost burst out laughing when he heard a knock on the door.

"Lucy-Dono, time to w—" Loki's voice started, but Natsu opened the door in the middle. He yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"Jeez, dude, lay off!" Natsu hissed, "Can a guy not get some sleep around here?"

"N-Natsu?" Loki exclaimed, eyes wide "What the hell are you doing in Lucy's room?"

"Sleeping!" Natsu snapped, and then smirked "Hey, don't worry. I'll make sure Lucy gets up in time for breakfast. Problem solved"

Natsu was preparing to close the door, but Loki stopped him "Wait a second. Just tell me: what did you and Lucy do last night?"

Natsu smiled, leaning on the wall with one hand "We had fun. Let's leave it at that, shall we?"

And with that, Natsu closed the door in his face. Natsu stifled a laugh as he remembered Loki's utterly horrified face. Classic.

Ah, yes. Revenge is sweet.

(´〜｀*) zzz ＼(o￣∇￣o)/ ∑(￣□￣)

"Time for breakfast with my fiancée," Lucy sighed, fixing the collar of her sleeves, trying to cover up her mark.

"It'll be fine," Natsu assured her "Just like last night's dinner. Except with breakfast food"

Lucy laughed "You do know how to make me feel better"

"How about a good luck kiss?" Natsu asked, hopefully.

"_I'm _the one who needs good luck!" Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"I dunno, I'm kind of feeling a little unlucky. You could fix that"

Lucy laughed, shaking her head, then glanced around the halls. When she was sure they were alone, she reached up on her tiptoes and gave him a small peck on the lips.

"Happy?" Lucy asked.

"Very much so, thanks" Natsu smirked, as the two entered the breakfast hall. Lucy made it to her table safely, Natsu made a crash into Damian, another palace servant. In his surprise, Damian dropped every single plate and saucer he was holding.

"Oh my gosh, Natsu-Sama, I'm terribly sorry!" Damian exclaimed.

"It's alright, Damian," Natsu smiled "Everything's fine. I'll help you clean up"

"No, no, it's fine, Natsu. I mean, Natsu-Kun. I mean, Natsu-San—Sama—Sensei—oh! I can't even say your name right!" Damian cried, reaching down to pick up a piece of a broken plate "Ack!" his hand darted away as the class cut him, the blood falling down his hand.

"Oh, dear!" Damian exclaimed, sticking his finger in his mouth. Yet, when he reached out to grab another piece, he ended up cutting his other finger. "Oh!" he stuck his other finger in his mouth, innocently sitting on the floor, trying to suck the blood off of both his cuts. And leaving none of his hands free.

"Honestly, let me help you" Natsu said, getting to his knees and picking up a piece.

"Nowuh!" Damian exclaimed, swatting away Natsu's hand with one of his own. He then realized he was still bleeding and stuck his finger back in his mouth. He looked like he was trying to give himself fake fangs. "I'm fwine, honestwy!"

"I'll clean it up, Natsu-San" Virgo said, sweeping away the pieces with her broom "Damian-San, you should probably see Wendy about those cuts"

Damian nodded, muttering, "I'm a failure of a servant". To be honest, he kind of was. Damian Miyagi was the clumsiest, most delicate person on the entire palace staff. Maybe in all of Magnolia, and maybe in all of Fiore.

Damian had very short, very choppy blonde hair. He didn't trust barbers, so he cut his own hair with hedge trimmers. His clumsiness was mostly due to his bad eyesight, he didn't trust eye doctors, and he was scared of glasses (he claimed the glass could break at any time and get in his eye and blind him), so he walked around half blind. His eyes were light green and as innocent as a baby's, and his face still contained all it's baby fat. He sewed all his clothes back together when they fell apart because, of course, he didn't trust tailors.

But everyone knew why Damian was hired in the first place. His cooking. He couldn't be added as a chef, because he wasn't good at making full-course meals, but he made the snacks for teatime. His muffins were superb, and he always made enough for everyone, even the servants.

As soon as Damian was gone, the whole room seemed to sigh in relief. Natsu understood why, now no one had to worry about more broken china or Damian crashing into them or Damian tripping over something or someone important. It came to a point where they weren't allowed to serve on china plates if Damian was in the room.

From the hallway, there was a loud cry, and feminine voice snapping "Watch it, servant!". The doors flew open, revealing Ultear, in all her glory. She looked as pretty as she usually did, but she was panting, and fear was ignited in her eyes.

"Mother!" She exclaimed, running to Queen Ur "Mother, look at today's headline!". She threw a paper on the table, not just for her mother, but for everyone to see.

_**A BLAST FROM THE PAST. FIORE WILDFIRE TERRORIST ATTACK IS STARTING ANEW. WILL WE EVER SEE THE END OF THESE HORRIBLE FIRES? **_

"Oh my goodness" Lucy breathed, a hand going to her mouth in shock.

The Fiore Wildfire. The attack of evil that had murdered his parents, that had burned his home to ashes. The attack that ruined his life, made him an assassin, turned him into a criminal.

There were footsteps, and then the door slammed. Natsu looked up quick enough to see a flash of white hair before the door slammed shut.

"Kōri?" Gray asked aloud, looking around for his bodyguard "Where'd she go?"

Natsu read over the newspaper's headline for about the eighth time. The Fiore Wildfire. Something told him he wasn't the only one here who was drastically affected by it. And something else told him he had to stop this damn terrorist.

For good.

∑(O_O；) ヽ(￣д￣;)ノ（−＿−；）

_**Good ending, or a suckish one? I had some fun making Damian's character, I kept thinking "wimpier, wimpier!". And nothing is wimpier than a guy who makes some awesome muffins. **_

_**If you're wondering why I didn't give Loki a specific palace job like everyone else, it's because I couldn't think of anything for Loki to do. There isn't exactly a palace bachelor, is there? But if you have any jobs for Loki, I'd be very happy to hear them. :3 I mean it. **_

_**And I have a feeling someone is going to say "isn't this the 1600s? How come they have newspapers?". Little fact for you: newspapers started up in the 1400s. And if I'm wrong, there are newspapers here! I don't want to see any comments about the fucking newspaper! ***__**Huff* Just thought I'd make that clear in case a problem actually happens.**_

_**And yes, the second emoticon in the story (the one going (´ ▽｀).。ｏ) is Dan. Or at east making fun of him. That's why i made it say "L-O-V-E!". If you realized that, congratulations! You deserve butterfingers for your act of awesomeness. **_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	6. Absence is The Common Cure of Love

_**Thanks so much for the reviews! And to **__**Lemonsnaps and noegenesis, thanks for the suggestions for Loki's palace job. I seriously couldn't think of anything. And since your wish is my command, I'm including more GruVia and NaLu.**_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Six ~ * ~ * **_

_**~ * ~ * **__**Absence is The Common Cure of Love **__**~ * ~ ***_

Rain, falling in sleets, thundered across the dirt road. She had her hood pulled back, letting the water hit in her in the face.

She loved the rain. Even when it used to follow her around like a sickness, she never hated it. The people's cruelty wasn't the rains fault, nor was it hers. She never hated the rain, never blamed it; she only hated what came with it. But not anymore.

She had him to thank for the riddance of the rain. She learned to control it; she only willed it to rain for her when she was alone. She knew true happiness around him, and only him.

He was her light amongst the darkness, her unsuspecting savior. She always wondered how a man of such royal standards could ever think of her as more than just another pheasant. He loved her through the rain, even gave her the job she so dearly needed at his palace. And a job with water, tending to the gardens many fountains, pools, lakes, and even rivers.

He loved her, even through her darkest days. Back when she was just the Rain Woman, the girl nobody wanted. How many times had she thought of ending her life? To jump off that roof, to put that knife through her heart, to drink the poison or hang her own neck? One move and all the horrible pain and suffering would be over. He saved her from those thoughts.

She had decided the day after he left his kingdom. She wasn't going to lose him, not to anybody anywhere.

She entered town, pulling the hood over her head. She glanced around, hoping to find a familiar face. But it was a town of complete strangers, all of which were trying to escape the rain.

"What the . . .?" she heard a voice say, exciting the nearest bookshop. She had a hood pulled over her head, holding a bag filled with books "When did it start raining?"

Her eyes widened, she recognized that voice "Kōri . . .?"

The girl turned towards her, her hood fell back, and she dropped her bag in surprise "Juvia?"

Juvia smiled "It really is you!"

"What are you doing here?" Kōri exclaimed.

Juvia bit her lip. Kōri was a good friend, but she hoped she wouldn't meet her first. She was very protective of Gray's wellbeing, Juvia would've preferred meeting her when Kōri had no choice _but_ to cooperate.

"I'm going to see Gray-Sama," Juvia said, looking to the ground and clenching her fists, so not to meet Kōri's demanding gaze. "A-And you c-can't stop me Kōri-Sempai!"

"Ok, fine" Kōri shrugged, picking up her books, shaking the water off them "I won't stop you"

"W-What?" Juvia spluttered, looking to face her.

"I think seeing you would be good for Gray" Kōri smiled happily "We can surprise him. He's at the park right now, I just came here to buy him a few study books"

"T-Thank you, Kōri-Sempai . . ." Juvia bowed.

"I told you, Juvia, call me Kōri" Kōri rolled her eyes "No need for honorifics"

Juvia nodded, turning on her heels and running towards the park area. She stopped when she saw him, black hair matted to his skull, hiding under no cover even in this rain.

This was it. To be honest, she was terrified. What would he say to her when he discovered she followed him all the way to Fiore? Hell, what was she going to say to _him_? 'Hi, Gray. I followed you here, are you glad to see me?'. She could feel her heart thundering in her chest, her breath caught in her throat.

But something inside her urged her to run to him, to be in his arms once more. Just before she was forced to lose him forever, he just had to know that she would never stop loving him. She would sooner die than stop loving.

"Gray-Sama!" Juvia shouted, running towards him. The tears began to stream down her face, tears of both sadness and joy. Joy to see him once more, sadness of the fact that this may be the last time he was hers. Before he was promised to a rich woman, a queen who will always be the better choice.

Yet again in life, Juvia was second best. This princess was beautiful and rich, and could offer Gray everything Juvia couldn't. It broke her heart to know that, but she needed to break ties with Gray. Before she lost him for good.

Gray turned, his eyes widening as he saw her "Juvia . . .? Juvia!"

Hearing him say her name caused all her worries to vanish. She threw her arms around his neck, kissing him right on the mouth. His arms went to her waist; Juvia ran a hand through his hair. She didn't care if people were watching, how wrong or even illegal this was. To her, it just felt . . . right.

Gray broke away first, yet refusing to let go of her "What are you doing here?"

"Juvia just wanted to see her Gray-Sama" Juvia responded. Gray gave her a wide smile.

"You know, I love the way you talk" Gray said, then leaned down and kissed her once more.

The rain as their witness, a flower that could bloom without sunshine. A love that would never die, no matter what. That princess could marry Gray, but she could never call him hers. For Gray Fullbuster would always belong to Juvia Lockser, it was one of the ways of the universe. A promise that would never be broken, no matter how hard anybody tried.

And that itself was a promise.

(*^◇^)_旦 且_(・_・ ) ( ゜Д゜)⊃旦

"God, it's raining really hard out there," Lucy whistled, looking up from her book (some fantasy called "_How To Deal With Dragons_". Natsu found the title insulting, but frankly, Lucy didn't care).

"I don't think I've ever seen this much rain," Natsu admitted, closing the curtains.

"I don't I'll be able to take my astronomy class with Loki-Sensei if this keeps up" Lucy shook her head "Damn, I was kind of looking forward to it. He's been giving me weird looks since breakfast; I want to know why. What are you smirking about, Natsu?"

"Nothing," Natsu turned so Lucy wouldn't see the smile etched on his face "But if you don't take astronomy, that means you get another hour and a half with me

"What are you getting at?" Lucy closed her book, walking over to sit next to Natsu. He was sitting on the window seat, getting a good look at the rain. That might be hard now, since he had a new distraction.

"I'm wondering 'how much kissing can be done in an hour and a half?'" Natsu smirked.

Lucy laughed, "I didn't know you were such a flirt, Natsu"

"I only started today, you like?" Natsu said, as Lucy cupped his face with her hand and kissed him. She had a hand running through his hair, another on his shoulder. His arms were around her back, hugging her close, almost as if refusing to let go.

"Lucy-Dono, Loki says his classes are can—AH! OH MY GOD!" a new voice said, just as the door opened. Natsu and Lucy jumped apart, scrambling to opposite sides of the room.

At first, Natsu thought it was Wendy, because that scream _did _sound like a scarred little girl. But it wasn't a girl, hell; it wasn't even a child. Damian Miyagi.

Damian stumbled in the room; Natsu slammed the door behind him. Lucy was on her knees in front of Damian, trying to sooth him.

Damian had his hands over his eyes, chanting "I didn't see anything, I didn't see anything, I didn't see anything—who am I kidding, I saw something! Something huge! Princess Lucy was . . . I can't say it! I just can't!"

"Then don't!" Natsu snapped, "Never repeat what you saw to anybody. Understand?"

"B-But t-this is Princess L-Lucy h-having an a-affair with—with you!" Damian exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Natsu "This goes against everything I believe in!" he wailed.

"Damian-San, please calm down" Lucy said "I'm not married yet, so this isn't an affair. It's going to stop right after Gray-San and I are married. Ok?"

"P-Promise?" Damian sniffled, wiping the tears off his face.

"I promise" Lucy smiled "Now, run along. I know that I'm not going to have classes with Loki-Sensei today. Why don't you go make some cupcakes?"

"Cupcakes . . . I like cupcakes . . ." Damian hummed, stumbling out the door. Lucy rushed to close it behind him.

"I hate lying to him," Lucy sighed "And I really need to start locking this door"

"So, this" Natsu gestured to himself and Lucy "_Isn't _going to stop after you're married to Gray?"

"Why would _this_," Lucy mimicked Natsu's actions "Stop after I'm married to Gray? After all, you're not going every where"

"Thank god," Natsu sighed "I got scared for a second there, you know"

"Don't be," Lucy smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck "I love you, remember?"

"How could I forget?" Natsu smirked, leaning in to kiss her. Lucy put a finger to his lips, stopping him.

"Lock the door first," Lucy said.

( ^o)ρ┳┻┳°σ(o^ ) p(*＾-＾*)q

The General of King Jude's army was named Erza Scarlett. She was, by far, the most talented fighter in all of the land, and the king would only settle for the best. She often taught Lucy battle history and tactics, not to mention about the military in both Fiore and in all other lands.

Erza was usually a patient woman, but she had gotten so bored since the visit from Lucy-Dono's fiancée and his family. There wasn't much to do, since crime was on its lowest peak and King Jude had her waste her men's time by having them do patrol after patrol on every part of the castle. It seemed that King Jude just loved to waste her time.

Her new orders were firm: solve this new Wildfire II case. It was the first thing King Jude told her that morning (no "good morning, General Erza", just "go kill a terrorist") and she would not disappoint her king. She was given a job as general, and she strived to do it well.

The night was silent as she road alone down the streets of Magnolia, currently the scene of the crime. She hated the night; it reminded her of someone she really didn't want to think of.

A noble home, burnt to ashes. The fire killed everyone inside it, leaving no witnesses and no survivors. Not a scrap of rubble was left untouched, nothing survived.

Erza jumped off her stallion, digging through the rubble. Her hands stumbled across something, hidden deep under ashes and charred wood. A porcelain doll, one barley any bigger than her palm, it's face covered in ash. Surprisingly, it hadn't melted in the flames.

She smiled, smoothening the dolls hair and wiping the ash off her face. It was a pretty little thing; the owners of the house must have had a daughter. Perhaps she could return it at the funeral, as a small memorial to the daughter.

The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she heard footsteps. Erza quickly drew her sword, holding it out protectively in front of her.

"Relax, Neesan" the girl simply moved the sword out of her way "I'm not going to hurt you or anything"

Erza put away her sword "What are you doing here, sister?"

"Investigating," her sister said "My work lead me here"

"You have no work. You spend your time chasing innocent creatures," Erza spat.

"Neesan, listen to me. This was obviously the work of dragons!" her sister retorted "Look at how there's nothing left! That doll survived by a miracle"

"Dragons are noble creatures. They would never cause such chaos" Erza said, "This was obviously the work of a terrorist I plan to catch. Knightwalker, I beg of you. Enough on this silly hunt for revenge"

"It's not silly," Knightwalker said through gritted teeth "And I will not stop until every dragon on this planet is dead! Look at the cruelty they did here, Neesan! You found a doll that once belonged to an innocent little girl"

"I know," Erza said, glancing at the doll "And I intend for the terrorist in question to face a punishment worse than death"

"Neesan, don't you remember what the dragons did to us?" Knightwalker asked "Don't you want revenge?"

"It wasn't dragons then and it isn't dragons now" Erza said, narrowing her eyes "I have a life now, I suggest you get one as well. Go home, sister, you have no business her in Magnolia. It's time you woke up from this dragon hunting dream of yours and forget about what happened all those years ago"

Erza mounted her horse, taking off towards the castle. Knightwalker lingered behind, her hand going to her left eye. Her mind wondered, thinking about the scars that twined around her upper right leg. No, he wasn't going to forget what she couldn't forgive.

"I'll wake up when every dragon is dead, Neesan" Knightwalker whispered, even though her sister was already far from hearing a word she said.

(-^-^)p_|_o_q(^-^ )

_** Here's chapter six! Ok, this is the ONLY time I'm bringing Edolas into the story. Don't expect a Lucy Ashley sometime soon (that would be utter chaos).**_

_** So, I got a review for another story ('Vanilla Starlight', NaLu) asking if they could make a cover for that story. If you want to make a cover for this or any of my other stories, you can. Just give me credit for being the author, and send me a link for the finished cover. If I like it it'll probably become the new image for the story. Just thought I should get that out there. I love art as much as I love writing.**_

_** Oh, and if you're wondering why Juvia calls Kōri 'sempai', it's because they were both servants in the same palace. Kōri was on a higher scale, Juvia working in the gardens while Kōri worked with Gray, I figured I could treat it like a school. And since Juvia is honorifics-crazed, I figured she'd call her something other than -san. **_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	7. A Drunken Man's Words

_**Thanks for all the support, everyone! I really appreciate it. And to Helekiller2, I meant Knightwalker is the only Edolas character I'm including in this story, not to expect a Natsu Dragion or a Lucy Ashley. I wouldn't torture you guys with a never-solved cliffhanger like that! **_(6.^)

_**Getting back on topic, I don't own Fairy Tail. On to the story: **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Seven ~ * ~ * **_

_**~ * ~ * A Drunken Man's Words ~ * ~ ***_

Natsu was probably the only man in the world who didn't like a night off.

King Jude had insisted that he take a "break from work", but he suspected that Damian had squealed about seeing him and Lucy kiss. If he did, he would . . . to be honest, Natsu would just yell at him rather than hurt him. The poor guy was already so terrified of the world as it was.

He sighed, sticking his hands in his pockets. No, Damian hadn't told. If that was the case, Lucy would've been in deep trouble, and Natsu would've been fired, no _banished_, on the spot.

He made a turn, finding a nearby tavern. He was about to walk in when he saw a familiar face walk by.

"Hey, Kōri" Natsu said. She looked the same, except she was wearing a long coat in the night.

"Hey, Natsu" Kōri responded, "Did King Jude give you a 'night off', too?"

"Yeah" Natsu said, rolling his eyes "What's that about anyway? Are they suspicious of us or something?"

"Are you kidding me? It's nothing but a stunt to get Gray and Lucy-Dono together" Kōri rolled her eyes "A private dinner with violins, rose petals, fountains, stars, and candlelight. All that shit"

Natsu's hands clenched into fists, he expected this from King Jude. A stupid attempt to put them on friendlier scales, to make them _want _to marry each other. But the thought of Lucy, _his _Lucy, having a romantic night with a prince like Gray made him sick to his stomach.

"Bastard" Natsu growled.

"What're you so pissed at?" Kōri scoffed.

"Nothing. Wanna go grab a drink, just two kicked-out bodyguards?" Natsu asked.

Kōri shrugged "Sure, why not? I could use a drink"

The two entered the tavern, a man wolf-whistled when seeing Kōri, but she angrily glared daggers at him. Natsu could understand why the man would flirt with her, though. After all, she was a pretty young woman wearing a bodysuit. If she didn't want men looking at her like that, couldn't she wear something a little bit subtler?

"Why dress like that if you don't want men looking at you?" Natsu asked as they took a seat.

"What else can I wear? If I dress like you, people will mistake me for a man. I don't care much for my looks, but I don't want that. Dress like your little princess and I won't be able to do a damn thing, I'd keep tripping over my dress." Kōri explained, "I wear what is comfortable that allows me to move and take action, should Gray need my protection. But I need no distractions from other idiotic men. I'll have rum," she told the bartender.

"Same," Natsu said, and then turned to Kōri "Why're you so obsessed with protecting Gray?"

"Why're you so obsessed with protecting Lucy?" Kōri raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of alcohol "I've been giving a job. I want to do it well"

"I feel you," Natsu said, drinking down all of his rum "Bartender! Another cup, pronto!"

( ^-^)_旦"" (*^◇^)_旦 (*｀▽´)旦~~

Natsu never remembered being so drunk. How many cups of ale and rum had he drunk? Five, six? Less that eight, that he knew.

He was laughing giddily with Kōri, his mind blank. What mattered anymore, besides laughing and having a good time? All forms of responsibility were gone from his mind.

"Y-You knows w-wha, Kōri-Chan?" Natsu hiccupped "I u-used t-to think you w-were a s-stick-in-the-m-mud bo-dy-guard but n-now that I get to know 'ya, yer cool!"

"Awh, Na-Chan, yer cool too!" Kōri exclaimed.

"I—gots—a—sec-ret to t-tell 'ya!" Natsu said "But I needs to whisper it . . ."

"You c-can tell me, Na-Chan" Kōri mumbled, "I won't tell a-ny-one, promise"

"Oh-k" Natsu whispered "Me . . . a-and Lucy-Chan . . . You know, da princess?"

"I think I know 'er" Kōri gave a thoughtful face.

"Well . . . we kissed. And it was nice" Natsu muttered "And I thought we'd be together forever, but . . . we're not. It's a load of shit, you know what I mean?"

"I feel 'ya, bro" Kōri shook her head in disappointment "These arranged marriages are loads of shit. Y-you knows? Gray h-happens to be in lurve with a nice gurl named Juvia, and they kissed, and I thought _they'd _be together forever, but. . . They're not. Just 'cause King Jude and Queen Ur wanna play Matchmaker"

"It sucks" Natsu agreed "You know, we should all run—run—run away and move to Peru, then we can all get married and you can b-be the bridesmaid! 'Cause you're so nice!"

"T-Thanks, Na-Chan" Kōri gave him a drunken smile "And we can all raise alpacas and live happily ever after!"

"Yay, alpacas! But I like llamas better . . ." Natsu muttered, the world going blurry in front of his eyes. He blinked, once, twice, and then toppled backwards. The world faded to black, and complete darkness took over.

*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:* ∩( ・ω・)∩ d=(´▽｀)=b

"Natsu? Natsu, wake up!" Kōri demanded, shaking him back and forth.

"What . . . what happened?" Natsu asked, hazily.

"In a few words, we got wasted" Kōri said, helping him to his feet. He rubbed his head in exhaustion, his ears were ringing, and his head hammered. He never remembered ever being this drunk.

"I'm never going to drink again," Natsu mumbled as the two of them exited the tavern.

"That's what they all say," Kōri rolled her eyes. Natsu blinked, seeing a figure at the end of the street.

"Hey, is that . . .? Erza!" Natsu exclaimed, waving his arms around, wildly "I didn't know you came around this late! If you came out earlier you could've had a drink with us!"

The figure took a step forward, and Natsu realized with a pang that it w_asn't _Erza. Sure, she looked like her. A lot like her. The same scarlet hair and brown eyes, but this girl had her hair up in a ponytail. She held an extremely long sword, and the look in her eyes, her aura, was one incredibly different from the Erza he knew.

"Who . . . who are you?" Natsu muttered.

"Natsu, let's go!" Kōri exclaimed, grabbing his arm and tugging him.

"Who the hell are you? And why do you look like Erza?" Natsu yelled. The Erza-look-alike took steps forward, her heels clicking against the cobblestones.

"I'm serious, Natsu, we need to get out of here! _Now!_" Kōri exclaimed.

"I want to know why this chick is imitating Erza! Now who the hell are—?" Natsu snapped.

"_Natsu, if we don't get out of here, she'll kill us both!_" Kōri shrieked, but that comment caused Natsu to freeze completely. Kōri, however, didn't give up on trying to drag him away from the spot.

The Erza look-a-like took in slow, shallow breaths, parting her lips and uttering a single word "Red"

Kōri hesitated "Huh?". Natsu flinched; he could sense that his disguise was fading. Something told him that this girl could see right through his human mask, that she was seeing the dragon he really was.

"You two . . . are covered . . . in red . . ." the Erza-look-alike said, "Stained in that dreadful color. And I'll just have you know that . . . that I . . ."

She grabbed her spear, lashing it out at them "_I hate the color red!_"

"_Run!_" Kōri shrieked, grabbing Natsu by the arm and dragging him down the ally. The Erza-look-alike followed, chasing them and lashing out her sword.

"She's _crazy!_" Natsu yelled, running down the ally. Natsu followed, dodging the spears and arrows get thrown at them. He leapt upwards, followed by Kōri, as agile as cats as they leapt up the buildings. They ran along the rooftops, he ran until he was past exhaustion, but refused to stop or slow down.

Kōri finally stopped at the roof of a nobleman's house "I think we're safe here"

"Who—Who was that?" Natsu panted.

"Erza Knightwalker, a dragon hunter" Kōri explained, "She hates us more than anything in the world"

"What do you mean 'us'?" Natsu raised an eyebrow "I knew it! You're a dragon! You're protecting Gray, aren't you?"

"Yes, and I already know you're a fire dragon protecting Lucy" Kōri said.

"I'm that obvious? Anyway, why did you make us run? Two dragons against a human, we could've easily killed her," Natsu said.

"That weapon of hers in coated in a deadly poison to our kind. If that blade so much as touches us, we're dead," Kōri said, "Word gets around. She blames the dragons because her home was burned down in the Fiore Wildfire"

"Physco" Natsu muttered.

"I wouldn't say so," Kōri said, staring up at the moon "The Fiore Wildfire effected many people. It took so many lives, it left so many people homeless with no place to go. When something ruins your life, people try to do everything in their power to blame someone and take their revenge"

"You talk as if from experience" Natsu raised an eyebrow.

And for once, she didn't answer.

(｡-_-｡ )人( ｡-_-｡) o(≧o≦)o

To be honest, he didn't know _when _or _how _get got to the palace. He didn't remember getting into Lucy's bedroom. But somehow, Lucy was entangled in his arms, kissing him passionately on her bed.

"How was dinner with your fiancée?" Natsu asked, smirking.

"Are you really asking me that?" Lucy raised an eyebrow, drawing away from him, yet not leaving his arms.

"Yes, now how was it?" Natsu asked, kissing her quickly.

"Fine, nothing special. Completely romantic and completely expensive, and Gray's a nice guy, but . . . you know I'd rather be here with you" Lucy smiled.

"I'm flattered, princess," Natsu smirked.

"You know, I wish Gray was in love with someone else. Then maybe this could be treated like a big misunderstanding and everyone could go their own ways" Lucy said.

"If only" Natsu agreed, kissing her once more before she could answer. Even thought he was in a complete heaven, pure ecstasy, something tugged at the back of his mind. Lucy's words "_I wish Gray was in love with someone else_", they sparked something. A memory that wasn't quite a memory, something hazily telling him it was important. Something Kōri said? It might as well have been, he couldn't remember anything from his drunken haze.

All in all, it couldn't be that important if he forgot about it . . . right?

He let the worry slip from his mind, his mind being only in the present, with Lucy. Feeling her warmth and breathing in her scent, it compared to no other drug on the planet. A fine comparison, a drug to his Lucy. Though, after all, one can't get enough of either.

"C-can you stay the night again?" Lucy asked "Please don't make me say 'that's an order' again"

Natsu smiled, kissing her on the forehead "Your wish is my command, Princess"

(〃￣д￣)八( ￣д￣ )八(￣д￣〃)

_**Chapter Seven is up, people! I included NaLu at the end, just for all you crazed fan girls out there. (6.^) and the perverts, I guess, whatever your demented mind comes up with. :P **_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	8. The Titania and Her Shadow

_**Thanks for all the reviews! This is kind of a flashback chapter, but there's still going to be NaLu. Not MUCH but still some. **__**Sorry. **_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Eight ~ * ~ * **_

_**~ * ~ * The Titania and Her Shadow ~ * ~ * **_

Ever since birth, they shared the same name: Erza.

Their mother, a proud noblewoman, hadn't been expecting twins; she'd expected a beautiful daughter. But of course, she ended up with the extra load, the unwanted daughter. She didn't even bother to give her second daughter a new name, and she always hated herself for that.

She had gotten the beautiful daughter she'd always wanted: a girl with scarlet locks and brown eyes. This daughter was the strong one, she escaped from her crib only to wander to the kitchen and get food for herself, rather than go to her parents like a normal toddler would. For the reason of having twins, she gave her daughters' unique second names of their own. This first daughter would be known as Erza Scarlett.

The second daughter shared her big sister's beauty, but contained a darkness that should never be in a child. From being the extra load, the second daughter, the second best to her mother. She often walked the nights alone, staying up until the moon was at its highest peak in the sky. For her uniqueness and fellowship with the night, her second daughter would be known as Erza Knightwalker.

Then, at the age of seven, the twins were given the duty of _sociality. _They were to sit with their legs crossed and smile while their parents talked to business partners, while _their _children played. Because at the age of seven, one was too old for playing games, especially noble young ladies.

But, however, Erza Scarlett didn't mind that she wasn't allowed to play with them, as long as they were dining with the Dragneel and Hiryū families. They had the most adorable children she'd ever seen; a boy with hair the color of roses and a girl with white locks. They often played tag and did sword fights with branches. Erza Scarlett soon discovered that the boy was quite the gentleman; he would always help the little girl up when she fell. And that the girl was as tricky as a fox, she would constantly fall on purpose and pull him down with her when he came to help her up.

"You have such beautiful children," Erza Scarlett smiled. The boy's parents were Igneel Dragneel and Faia Dragneel, and the girl's parents were a woman named Aisu Hiryū and a man named Haiiro Hiryū.

"Thank you, Miss Scarlett" Mr. Dragneel dipped his head in appreciation; turning his attention away from his conversation with Erza's mother "I do believe Natsu is turning into a fine young man. He'll be quite the gentleman when he gets older"

"Oh, please, Igneel" Mrs. Hiryū smirked "A gentleman? Look at him eat!"

True, the little boy did like to stuff his face full whenever he saw food. But Erza Scarlett believed that Mrs. Hiryū had no place to talk, her daughter had the same habit of eating.

"Kōri is no better!" Mr. Dragneel retorted with a scoff. Erza Scarlett was glad that he pointed it out so she didn't have to.

She suddenly felt someone tugging at her skirt, and looked to see the little boy and girl. They gave her bright, four-year-old smiles, as innocent and pure as freshly fallen snow.

"Do you want to play with us, Er-Chan?" the little boy asked. Mr. Dragneel hit him on the head lightly, and the little boy instantly corrected himself "I mean, do you want to play with us, Erza-Sama?"

Erza Scarlett smiled at them "Alright, ok"

The little girl turned to Erza Knightwalker "And do you want to play with us, too, Erza-Sama?"

Erza Knightwalker, frowned, crossing her arms "I'm _much_ too old to play games with _children_. And so is Neesan" she gestured to Erza Scarlett and then stuck her nose in the air, like a pampered poodle.

Erza Scarlett scowled at her sister, and then turned to the children "Ignore her, she's no fun anyway. What game do you want to play?"

"We wanted to play 'The Dragon and the Knight'!" the little boy exclaimed "Here," he handed her a wooden sword "You be the evil knight, and we'll be the hero dragons who are protecting our treasure"

Erza Scarlett would've been happy playing whatever they wanted, but Erza Knightwalker raised an eyebrow at them "Dumb children. Don't you mean the evil dragon and the hero knight?"

The little girl gave a laugh that sounded like the jingling of tiny bells "No, silly! Dragons are the good guys!"

"What fairy tales have _you _been reading?" Erza Knightwalker spat "Because if I remember correctly, the dragon would always steal the princess and the brave knight would ride in to save her"

This time, both children laughed. They laughed as if Erza Knightwalker's words were the most hilarious thing they'd ever heard in their lives.

"Then your fairy tales are wrong, Erza-Sama" the little boy laughed "That's not how it goes at all!"

"Yeah! The dragon is always living with his mate with his treasure," the little girl explained "And then some evil, stuck-up old knight rides in and tries to kidnap her. And then—"

"Then they fight!" the little boy exclaimed happily, and the two children pounced on Erza Scarlett. The three laughed, Erza Scarlett giving out playful threats that she was going to 'steal their treasure' while they pretended to breath fire on her.

"Natsu, Kōri!" Mrs. Dragneel said "its naptime!"

"Aw" the children whined, smoothening down their clothing, trying to pick out grass stains.

"What to do you say to Erza Scarlett-Sama?" Mrs. Dragneel raised an eyebrow.

The little boy bowed, while the little girl curtsied, saying in chorus "Thank you for playing with us, Miss Scarlett"

"The pleasure is all mine," Erza Scarlett smiled "I had fun"

The children giggled; as if that was the best thing they ever heard, running towards the little boy's home. From what she understood, the boy and girl often had play dates together.

When they were gone, Erza Knightwalker scoffed "What weird kids"

"Excuse me?" Erza Scarlett spat.

"You heard me. They're completely obsessed with dragons," Erza Knightwalker rolled her eyes "Making them the hero of their dumb fairy tales. They should see someone about that"

"Don't you have anything better to do that pick on little kids?" Erza Scarlett growled.

"In fact, I don't, Neesan. As it so happens, we can't all be mother's favorite. So not all of us have full schedules" Erza Knightwalker scowled. Erza Scarlett's gaze softened, their mother's favoritism habit was a soft spot to the two of them. Before she could say anything, however, her mother called them to the carriage.

That was one thing Erza hated about her sister. She always found joy in pure hatred. She was the kind of child who tore the wings off of flies for the mere fun of it. There was a part of her twin that was shrouded in darkness, a part that couldn't be saved.

(6.^) (^.^) (-.-)

Red. She absolutely hated that color. The hair color she wished would change, the blood she hoped would never spill. And her second name 'Scarlett'. The color red was overrated and horrible to her.

She had only gone to the park for a midnight walk with her sister, and when she came back, there it was. Red. The horrible color, the color she so hated, was everywhere. Flickering with orange and yellow, on a rampage on the only home she ever knew.

"No!" Erza Scarlett shrieked, running towards the house, ripping down the door. She quickly drew her hand away as the coal-hot door burnt her hand, but ran into the burning mansion, her sister at her heels.

"Mother! Father!" Erza Knightwalker shouted, "Where are you?"

Tears began to pour down Erza Scarlett's face "Mommy, daddy, where are you? Please say you're ok! M—"

She was interrupted when her sister shrieked in fear, pointing to the upper floor. It was a dark figure, darting across the banister, leaving a trail of fire behind it. When the figure jumped onto the second floor, the flaming banister fell, landing right on Erza Knightwalker's leg.

"Erza!" Erza Scarlett shrieked.

Tears of pain were streaming down Erza Knightwalker's face "Neesan, help me!"

Erza grabbed the banister, the flames stinging her right arm, tossing it off her sister. She grabbed her sister's arm, running out of the mansion. Seconds after they exited the mansion, it collapsed in a pile of ashes.

"Mommy, daddy!" Erza Knightwalker sobbed.

Erza draped an am around her sister's shoulders, hugging her close. She then noticed the burns, going up and down Erza Scarlett's right arm and Erza Knightwalker's upper leg.

"D-Dragons" Erza Knightwalker hissed through her tears "Dragons did this!"

"What? How can you say that? the dragons did nothing wrong!" Erza Scarlett exclaimed, drawing away from her sister.

"I saw it! So did you!" Erza Knightwalker snapped.

"That could've been anything. There's no proof that was a dragon" Erza Scarlett said, "We're worrying about this too soon"

"It's never too soon," Erza Knightwalker snapped.

"Sister, please, we need to see a doctor—" Erza Scarlett said.

"No, Neesan, I can live. We need to get revenge. Come with me," Erza Knightwalker held out her hand "And we can kill every dragon on this planet"

"N-No" Erza Scarlett drew back; suddenly terrified of her sister "I'm not going to get revenge. Not when it's not certain; I'm going to see a doctor, and then find a new place to live. Come with me—"

"I should've known!" Erza Knightwalker spat "You're a spineless fool, Neesan. And I'm not going to give in when those creatures killed our family! Funny that you were always favorite when you don't care about them at all"

Erza Knightwalker turned, walking into the darkness. Tears formed in Erza Scarlett's eyes; she had officially had lost all her family. But her parents had gone unwillingly, her sister had just walked away from her. Willingly.

"Sister! Sister, please!" Erza Scarlett shouted, "Please don't leave me! I need you; I can't be alone! Sister!"

But Erza Knightwalker hadn't turned. She kept going, she walked right into the darkness, leaving her behind.

That was the last time Erza Scarlett ever saw her sister.

Until now.

(〃￣д￣)八( ￣д￣ )八(￣д￣〃)

"Lucy!" Natsu said, entering her room "You got a letter—"

"Oh my goodness, it's here!" Lucy exclaimed, reaching for the letter in Natsu's hand "Give it to me!"

"Ok, I want you to bow" Natsu smirked, "Call me Master, and do what I say for the next two hours"

Lucy rolled her eyes "Seriously, Natsu, give me the letter"

"You heard me"

"Fine, fine, ok. But give me the letter first"

"Bow first, and we've got a deal"

"Fine!" Lucy gave a low curtsy "Happy?"

"Very much so," Natsu smirked, handing her the letter "Who's it from, anyway?"

"Levy-Chan" Lucy smiled, opening the letter and reading it quickly. Natsu rolled his eyes. Lucy's all-time best friend in the world was a Nobleman's daughter named Levy McGarden. They'd only met in person once, but they'd been sending letters to each other ever since.

"Alright, you got your letter, time to fill out your half of the bargain" Natsu smirked "My first order is for you to . . . give me cake. The kind Damian makes"

Lucy rolled her eyes, ringing the bell for Damian's quarters. In less than five minutes, Damian was at her door.

"Yes, Lucy-Dono?" Damian asked.

"I would like a batch of your . . ." Lucy turned "What was it that you wanted again, Natsu?"

"Vanilla cake, with whipped icing. Oh, and make it spell out 'Natsu Is The Best Person In The World' in red icing" Natsu said, leaning back.

"You heard him—" Lucy started.

"No, no, say it" Natsu ordered.

Lucy rolled her eyes "I want a vanilla cake, with whipped icing, and make it spell out 'Natsu Is The Best Person In The World' in red icing" she turned to Natsu "You want little hearts on it, too?"

"Nah, the cake's good enough" Natsu shrugged.

"Y-you're getting h-him c-cakes now?" Damian spluttered.

"'Cause she _loves _me!" Natsu exclaimed.

"He's lying" Lucy said, "Please, take your time with the cake". She then closed the door, walking towards Natsu "Happy?"

"You told him to take his time" Natsu pouted.

"You didn't say 'hurry up','" Lucy pointed out.

"Ok, next order. Sit on my lap" Natsu said.

"You've got to be kidding me" Lucy's eyes were wide.

"I'm sorry, was that a nice letter? How's Levy doing?" Natsu asked.

"Ok, ok! I'm going!" Lucy spat. Walking over and doing as he was told, she had her arms around his neck, trying to make her position as awkward as possible. There was _no way _she was going to let him enjoy this.

"Comfy, very nice," Natsu smirked "Now, I want a kiss"

"You're a real ass, you know that?" Lucy growled.

"Kiss, I'm currently not getting one" Natsu said.

"Ugh" Lucy rolled her eyes, but leaned in and fastened her lips to his. He made no comment on it, returning the kiss with passion. He had a hand on her back, another tangled in her hair. She had her hands cupping his face, eyes closed, forgetting completely that she was forced into this.

"So, it turns out I already had a cake like that ready, I just put words on it" Damian said, entering "Sorry that it's not fresh—AH!"

Lucy tried to jump apart, but Natsu held on, not letting her escape. Over Lucy's shoulder, he raised an eyebrow at Damian "What? It's not like this is the first time you've seen us"

"Ten minutes—I leave for _ten freaking minutes_" Damian held up his cake "To get you _cake_, and _this _is what you do to me?" he didn't seem that angry, because he set down the cake politely on Lucy's counter "You bastard!" he started to slam the door, but ended up closing it lightly.

"Behold," Natsu smirked "The ever powerful rage of Damian Miyagi"

(＾○＾)オ(＾▽＾)ハ(＾０＾)ツ～

Erza was alone in the Knight's quarters, polishing her armor, when she got her daily visitor. The one person she strived to see everyday, her sunrise and her sunset, what to look forward to every day.

"Hey, Er-Chan" the man smiled. He was hardly a teenager anymore, no one really special to the first viewing. He worked in the palace, the King's advisor. Some of the townsfolk called him the "King's Owner" because King Jude would not to a thing without consulting him first. His hair was dark blue, his eyes coffee brown, and had a red tattoo over his right eye that he'd had since childhood. They made a good pair, red and blue; they looked like opposites on first glance. But Erza couldn't imagine what her life would be if she had never met him.

"Jellal!" Erza exclaimed, running forward and throwing her arms around his neck. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I _finally _get to see you!" Jellal sighed "His royal highness won't let me leave his side for more than five minutes"

"He really trusts you," Erza smiled "I think that's really sweet"

"He leans on me," Jellal pointed out "he trusts me because he has to. Nobody ever trusts me because they want to."

"Untrue. _I_ trust you" Erza smiled.

"Well, you my dear, are an exception" Jellal smiled "But I'm glad you trust me. So as long as you do, nothing else matters"

"Thank you, Jellal-Kun" Erza kissed her boyfriend lightly.

"Now, Erza, there is a reason in particularly . . ." Jellal sighed "Um . . . I saw your sister in town today"

Erza looked to the ground "I know she's in Magnolia. I saw her last night, but . . . I thought she might leave after I talked to her. She's still going on with that stupid dragon hunt of hers. And when I think of her, I think of the fire and . . . and . . ."

"Erza," Jellal took Erza's hand in his "Don't cry, love"

Erza realized just then that she must've looked seconds away from crying. She felt like it, too. The horrible memories of the fire, of her parent's death and her sister's abandonment, all came back when she thought of her sister. Any happy memories she had of Knightwalker were gone forever.

Jellal took her hand, kissing her wrist, right on her scars "Everything will be alright, I promise"

Erza nodded, Jellal took her face in one hand, giving her a soft kiss before leaving to return to King Jude. Erza remained alone, running her hands over her scars. She would never forgive her sister, never for leaving her alone in the world.

She wasn't lying when she told Jellal that she trusted him. But something told her that everything wasn't going to be alright.

(^^)-(^^)-(^^)-(^^)-(^^)

_**Here's chapter eight! Ok, I decided recently that Erza is my favorite Fairy Tail character (Then it's Natsu, Lucy, and Happy) so I wanted to include JeRza in this fanfic. Because I'm that awesome, you know. :3**_

_** Maybe you're wondering why I made Natsu's mom an O.C. rather than Grandine. It's because Grandine is WENDY'S mother, and not Natsu's. Natsu's mom was never mentioned, so I just gave her a new name instead. **_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	9. Letters For The Soul

_**Jeez, this used to be a NaLu story. And somehow, my crazy, messed-up mind turned it to NaLu, GrUvia, JeRza, and now GaLe? At least I'm making a lot of people happy. :3 Hopefully. Even though Lisanna is one of my favorite characters, I don't really see her with anyone. She's too happy to be with someone, she's the kind of person who should be everyone's friend rather than someone's girlfriend, know what I mean?**_

_**So, basically, I'm saying I don't support NaLi. And Lucy dating Loki when she practically owns him is like someone dating their dog. I may be going to Fairy Tail hell for saying that . . . But I'm not LoLu either. **_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Nine ~ * ~ * **_

_**~ * ~ * Letters For The Soul ~ * ~ * **_

Her real name was Levanna, and she absolutely hated it. Why couldn't her parents give her a nice name rather than a freaky one? It sounded too much like 'Nirvana', and she honestly wished her parents had named her 'Nirvana' rather than 'Levanna', in a failed attempt to make her seem more lady-like.

However, real name or not, she was not going to waltz around letting people call her 'Levanna'. She was Levy, and nothing more, and only two people in the entire world seemed to understand that.

One was Princess Lucy Heartfilia, Levy made sure to write to her every week, and she got a response every time. There was no one in the world like Lucy; she was Levy's best friend in the entire world.

_Dear Lu-Chan_. Levy started out the letter simply, exactly the same, every time. _I'm doing great! Father took me on a one-day vacation to the mountains. Gajeel got to come along, but he kept chasing the birds and tried to eat the barbed-wire-fence. It didn't work out too well. _

"You writing to Bunny Girl again?" Gajeel asked, interrupting her train of thought. She clenched her teeth, already annoyed at the Iron Dragon. She had found him years ago, in a fighting arena, winning fights to gain a few Jewel. She had convinced him out of it, and hired him to be her protector, having learned about the Dragon's Blood Oath in books. She was beginning to regret that choice.

"Would you stop calling her that?" Levy scowled "Her _name_ is Lucy"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Levy" Gajeel said, rolling his eyes. The second person in the world that knew to call her 'Levy' was Gajeel.

Levy rolled her eyes, but her hand stretched over to her upper right arm, where she bore her mark. It would be covered if her sleeves were long enough, thank god, but Gajeel showed his dragon scar off to the world like a trophy. Said it made him look "tough". Even though he was a moron, Levy felt safe under his protection. Like nothing could hurt her if he was there.

_Gajeel hasn't changed. I wonder what would happen if Natsu and Gajeel actually met? Fire and iron, we could make some very nice armor for your father's army. Ha-ha. _Levy wrote with a smile. Lucy was the only person that she told about Gajeel being a dragon that was sworn to protect her. And it turned out; Lucy had a fire dragon protecting her! Coincidental? Perhaps. But she thought it was something more like fate.

_As for my father, he's still trying to find a suitor for me. I keep telling him that I'll be happy as long as I have my books, but he won't listen. Gajeel keeps beating up the men who come to call, so this "Suitor-Search" isn't exactly going well. _Levy sighed; her words were true. A man named Jet had answered her father's Suitor Notice, and Gajeel had beaten the holy hell out of the poor man. Levy, for one, was touched by his act to keep her happy.

_I think it's sweet that Gajeel would go to such extremes to keep me happy. But, then again, he could be doing it for the pure joy of fighting. I don't know. _Levy smiled to herself, glancing at Gajeel with her peripheral vision. She was starting to believe she was developing a crush on him, no matter how pathetic that seemed.

_I keep hoping he might show some signs of liking me back. But Gajeel Redfox has the emotions of a stonewall, and the sensitivity level of a teaspoon. I honestly don't know __how__ I like him, Lu-Chan, but I can't stop. _Levy sighed, dipping her quill in the inkwell. _It's like drinking wine. One is one to many, and one more is never enough. It's so hard to stop once you start. I don't know what to do . . . Oh! Enough about me, my father told me you're engaged to the prince of __Ōkoku! Lu-Chan, that's absolutely wonderful! What's he like? Is he handsome? I bet he is, he's a prince, isn't he? I'm so happy for you!_

"How much are you going to write, Levy?" Gajeel whined, collapsing on her bed.

"As much as I feel like," Levy responded. _I hope to hear from you soon, and I want to hear all about your little fiancée! Love, Levy. _

Levy folded the letter, but before she could put it in the envelope, Gajeel snatched it from her hands.

"Let's see what's so important," he smirked, opening the letter.

"_Gajeel!_" Levy shrieked, her face turned bring pink as she made a grab for the letter. She practically poured her heart out to Lucy, _and_ she included the fact that she had a crush on him. She didn't need him reading that letter; she'd sooner die.

"_Give that back!_" Levy exclaimed, trying to make a grab for the letter. Except, Gajeel was much taller than her, and held her down with ease as he read the letter.

"Gajeel, I _order _you to give me back my letter!" Levy snapped, her mark flashing.

Gajeel looked at her with a surprised eye "You _order _me?"

Levy nodded quickly, as Gajeel handed her the letter. Blushing heavily, she slipped the letter in an envelope, stamping it with a wax seal, her own personal seal, of an open book with an _L_ on it.

She tied the letter to a dove's foot (doves were _so_ much better than pigeons) sending it off. She, however, didn't leave the window. She watched the magnificent bird fly off into the heavens, sighing in awe.

"So, I'm like wine, huh?" Gajeel asked.

That comment nearly made her have a heart attack.

（゜◇゜）（￣□￣；）∑(O_O；)

As always, Levy's letter made Lucy laugh, smile, and think. But now it made her bite her lip in thought. She asked about her engagement to Gray. What was she supposed to tell her?

_The truth, obviously _Lucy thought. Of course, since Levy had poured her heart out to her in her letter, she had to tell her the truth, too.

_Dear Levy-Chan, _Lucy started on a new piece of parchment. _I'm doing great, too. I am engaged; his name is prince Gray Fullbuster. I can honestly say that life hasn't changed even though he's here; we take separate classes. I don't usually get to see him, except for meals. Father and Queen Ur did arrange a nice romantic dinner for us. _

Lucy sighed; she knew she was stalling. The truth was something she normally so hated telling. _He is handsome, I'll admit. Hair as black as a raven's wings, eyes blue like the sky at twilight. But . . . I don't love him, Levy-Chan. This whole marriage was arranged. _

There it was, the truth. It stood out like the punch line of a joke. _To make things worse, I think I'm in love with someone else. Natsu. Laugh all you want, but it's true. He's admitted to loving me back, and we even kissed, but then he told me I had to marry Gray, even though I love him. Just like everyone else (minus the 'loving Natsu' part). _

_I don't know what to do. Oh, and here's another shocker. Gray has a Dragon Guardian, too. But his is a __girl__. Natsu found out she was a dragon; I honestly thought she was just a human bodyguard for the longest time. _Lucy wrote, dipping her quill in the inkwell. _Her name is K__ō__ri, and she's honestly one of the prettiest women I've ever seen. Beautiful even, hair white as snow, icy blue eyes that just might be able to look straight into your soul. _

_That's the only thing I'm a little worried about. _Lucy sighed allowed, preparing to write the next sentence. _I just might be a little . . . jealous, maybe? It's just that . . . K__ō__ri is a __dragon__, and she's a __girl__. And she and Natsu have been spending more and more time together (lately, she's stopped having classes with Gray and waits for him to finish class with Natsu. And on the days Father has Gray and I play "romance", the two of them go out and do God-knows-what). I think I'm going paranoid. _

That part was true, that she'd admit. Not aloud, these kinds of things could remain on paper. _I don't know. But about you and Gajeel, if I know a thing or two about male dragons, they're so damn dense. Natsu didn't even know I even liked him until I kissed him. They don't realize it until last minute. But they always come around. _

_I hope to hear from you soon! Love, Lucy. _Lucy sighed, putting sealing the letter with the wax, Heartfilia crest.

"Hey, Lucy" Natsu said, stepping in. He immediately collapsed on her bed, stretching out his arms.

"Please, come in" Lucy rolled her eyes, tying the letter to a dove's foot and sending it off. It did look beautiful, a bird flying off into the sunset. Completely innocent, even though the letter it held contained so many secrets, so many of her thoughts.

"Writing to Levy?" Natsu asked. Lucy nodded, not leaving her place at the windowsill.

"Where were you?" Lucy asked, not turning around "You've been gone all morning"

"Huh? Oh, I was with Kōri. In the gardens" Natsu said.

"Alone?" Lucy asked.

"I guess, why?"

"Nothing"

"Is there a problem?"

"I said _nothing_, Natsu"

Natsu paused for a good ten minutes, and then laughed, "_Oh_, I get it! You're _jealous_, aren't you?" he spoke the word as if it were in a different language, as if he'd never said it before "You're _jealous_ of Kōri!"

"I'm not _jealous_! Why would I be jealous?" Lucy snapped "You just run off and spend hours at a time with a beautiful girl around our age, who also happens to be a dragon! Just like, hm, well, _you! _But I'm not jealous"

"You're giving me mixed signals, here" Natsu had a look of genuine confusion on his face "I mean, it sounds like your jealous, you gave some good reasons. But you're saying you're not je—"

"I'm jealous, ok?" Lucy exclaimed, "It's called sarcasm, you should learn it!"

"Lucy, you don't have to be jealous of her" Natsu laughed, shaking his head "I've never met another dragon before, she knows a lot that I don't. And I don't think she's beautiful"

"Don't lie" Lucy snapped.

"Ok, ok, I think she's pretty. In a weird, will-kick-my-ass-if-I-insult-her kind of way. _You're _beautiful, Lucy" Natsu held up her wrist, showing her the star mark "Here's proof that I love you. See this? Dragons are supposed to mark our Soul Mates, the ones that we want to be ours forever"

"Really?" Lucy's gaze softened, and she reached up to give him a quick kiss "But if that's true . . . are Gray and Kōri . . .?"

"No, Kōri doesn't believe in it. It's really a way of life, for some of us" Natsu sighed "I don't get the _point_ of the Blood Oath if you don't believe in the Soul Mate Principe, but Kōri lets Gray do whatever. She has no feelings for him"

"Oh, so is it a Male Dragon thing?" Lucy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"According to her, yeah" Natsu rolled his eyes "But the idea that it's symbolizing nothing but having our protection is bullshit, if you ask me. It has to mean more than having a bodyguard"

Lucy nodded "I agree". But something about Kōri's beliefs had irked her. She seemed so different from Natsu, it had to be more than the fact she was female and Natsu was male. That seemed to be her sole excuse for being different; gender shouldn't have so much to do with everything.

Kōri was hiding something.

(｡-_-｡ )人( ｡-_-｡) (● ∀ )

"Can you not control the rain anymore?" Gray asked, glancing outside the palace window. Juvia shrugged.

"Juvia can. But she likes the rain. She thought Gray-Sama didn't mind" Juvia said.

"I don't mind. I was just wondering" Gray admitted, sitting next to her on his bed. "Do you like it here in Magnolia?"

Juvia nodded "the people here are so nice to Juvia. She had a nice conversation with the nice young man at the café this morning. Everyone is so polite, here"

Gray nodded "I noticed. Everyone seems so happy-go-lucky. It's been so boring here without you"

"That's not true! You have Kōri-Sempai" Juvia pointed out.

"I know. But I don't love Kōri-Se—I don't love Kōri, I love you" Gray said, nearly calling Kōri by Juvia's honorific.

"Juvia loves Gray-Sama, too" Juvia said, smiling. She loved to hear him say that; it was pure ecstasy to her mind and ears. To know she finally found someone who would never leave her, who could, and would, love her with all his heart. That's all wanted: to be wanted.

She leaned in, kissing Gray. A hand on his shoulder, enjoying the here and now, where she finally had someone who cared for her.

All her life, she was the one nobody wanted. Even her parents, after discovering she was a Rain Woman, had left her to a foster home. She jumped from home to home, hoping to find a place that would so do so much as care for her.

But maybe—just maybe—she didn't need lots of people to care for her. Maybe she just needed one person.

ヽ(´Д｀)人(´Д｀)人(´Д｀)ノ〜

It started as a simple night off, one of her favorites. She was walking around town with Jellal, holding onto his arm, laughing. This was her time in heaven, the only night she got to spend the way she wanted.

"Look," Jellal pointed to one of the shops "they're opening a new bakery"

"It looks lovely" Erza admitted, smiling "maybe they'll have strawberry cake"

"I'll never understand your love of cake," Jellal laughed, and before he could say anything else, he was interrupted by the sound of hooves against the cobblestones.

"General Scarlett!" the Knight Captain, Laxus Dreyar, exclaimed, riding in "You're needed"

"This better be good, Laxus" Erza snapped, "This is my night off"

"There's been another terrorist attack," Laxus said "The Conbolt home is on _fire_"

"Erza, go!" Jellal exclaimed "We can do this later"

Erza nodded "Laxus, I'm going to need a horse"

"Jump on," Laxus offered a hand, allowing her to jump on the back of his stallion. He clicked his tongue, commanding the horse to take off. She felt horribly uncomfortable, since she was still in her dress and absolutely refused to ride sidesaddle like a proper lady. But as of now, her comfort was the last thing on her mind.

"General Scarlett!" Sir Gildarts exclaimed.

"When did this happen?" Erza asked, jumping down.

"Moments ago—we weren't informed until the house was completely caught on fire" Gildarts explained.

"That's impossible, the fire couldn't have spread that quickly," Erza said.

"That's what we said. We questioned for a while, asked why no one came calling when the fire first started. All witnesses say that they didn't even know there _was _a fire until the house was completely caught" Gildarts said.

"And the Conbolt family—are they inside?" Erza asked.

"Macao Conbolt was at a Nobleman party, the son with him" Gildarts said, "If this was a terrorist attack, it was of poor planning. The house is empty, even the staff members left for the night"

"Understood. I want water on that house _stat_," Erza shouted at the other knights "If there's a chance to save this house we need to _take it_!"

"Yes, sir!" the knights exclaimed, tossing buckets of water on the estate. Erza went around, shouting orders until the lights of the flames were extinguished, the house still standing.

"General Scarlett, I think you need to see this!" Dame Bisca shouted from the left side of the building.

"What is it?" Erza asked, and Bisca pointed to the side of the building. Erza gasped, a hand going to her mouth. Written in dark red letting was:

_THIS WAS A WARNING. _

"Is that . . . blood?" Bisca asked, taking a step back.

Erza ran a finger over the letter, studying the texture "Yes. It seems that our terrorist is also a murderer. He or she went out and killed someone, then used the blood to make this horrible message"

"Bisca-San, were the Conbolts a high Noble family?" Erza asked.

"No, General. They were one of the lesser," Bisca answered, "Compared to the McGardens and the Lobsters, they aren't very rich at all"

"'This was a warning' . . ." Erza remembered allowed, then turned to Bisca "Round up all the knights and tell Sir Gildarts and Sir Laxus to meet me here. We have something very major to discuss"

"Yes, ma'am!" Bisca exclaimed, but before running off, asked "General Scarlett . . . what did you discover from this?"

"That this terrorist has a very childish judgment of right and wrong," Erza said, not bothering to turn around as she crossed her arms. As Bisca ran off, Erza thought. A very childish judgment of right and wrong. Words like that reminded her of her sister, how it was somehow right to murder for revenge in her dragon-hunting façade.

As of then, Erza's criminal hunt was narrowed down.

(*^o^)人(^o^*)

_**EXCITEMENT! Ha-ha. As for if I took Damian's last name from the karate kid, I honestly don't know. I just looked up 'Japanese surnames' and Miyagi came up. I just liked how it sounded. **_

_**I made sure to include GrUvia, since I felt like I hadn't in a while. And to make every body happy! Yay!**_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	10. A Child's View of Right and Wrong

_**Thanks for all the reviews, guys! Maybe we can get to 100 reviews soon! I seriously hope so! :3**_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail. On to the story. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Ten ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * A Child's View of Right and Wrong ~ * ~ ***_

The three best fighters in the king's army were General Erza Scarlett, Knight Captain Laxus Dreyar, and Sir Gildarts, who was gone so long at a time from quests that he had no status. The three formed what could be a miniature round table, the S-Class.

"You found something at the crime scene, I presume?" Sir Gildarts asked.

"I have a suspicion" Erza said "A 'hunch', if you will"

"You never rely on hunches, general" Laxus said, raising an eyebrow "You must have some evidence"

"I do," Erza explained "On the side of the Conbolt household, the terrorist wrote 'this was a warning' in blood. I've kept this a secret so far, but that isn't the first message I've seen from the terrorist"

"All written in blood?" Gildarts asked.

"No. The blood was a drastic and desperate step from our terrorist" Erza said "Before it was written in white and red paint. This terrorist it trying extremely hard to scare us"

"What was written, General Scarlett?" Laxus asked.

"First, there was the attack on the Hokkaido residence," Erza said, "In which they wrote 'unnecessary' in red paint above the ashes of the house. I saw it when I went to investigate the remains, but it was gone by morning. I feel that this terrorist only wanted an army official to see it"

"'Unnecessary'?" Gildarts asked, "The Hokkaido family ran and owned all of Fiore's prisons. I doubt they're unnecessary"

"I will return to that later" Erza said "Then came the destruction of the Rousseau house. Written in red was the word 'unwanted'"

"Once again, that makes no sense" Gildarts said, "the Rousseau family ran and own the biggest clothing and fashion industry in all of Fiore. They were hardly unwanted"

"And lastly," Erza continued, "There was the destruction of the Dixon household. Written in white was the word 'sinful'"

"How could they accuse someone of being sinful if they themselves are going around setting fire to houses, burning people alive," Laxus said "And now murdering people in cold blood"

"That's what I was thinking," Erza said "But I suspected something with the Dixon's word: sinful. I believe that this terrorist has a very childish view of right and wrong. By destroying the Hokkaido residence, a noble household that made and ran prisons, I believe the message they're trying to send out is either 'everyone should be free' or 'criminals should be shown no mercy'"

"So you think they're either saying kill those who do wrong, or everyone should be free?" Gildarts asked.

"Exactly. And I believe the second one came a bit obvious after that" Erza said, "Destroying the owners of a popular clothing company. Saying that humanity doesn't need to be attached to such superficial things as clothing and one's appearance. How it's 'unwanted'"

"What about the Dixon household?" Laxus asked "How are they 'sinful'?"

"That took a bit of research," Erza said "And I discovered the only noble family that didn't donate to the Catholic Church was the Dixon family. Think about it. A child will believe anything their parents tell them. This terrorist has a narrow mind of a holy land, a nirvana, that they are trying to achieve by exterminating everything they believe is wrong"

"Unnecessary" Laxus muttered.

"Sinful" Gildarts whispered.

"Unwanted" Erza said, "What I don't understand is why they didn't completely burn down the Conbolt house. If they were able to make the other households fall to ashes in seconds, why did they let us save this one house?"

Laxus snapped his fingers "Because of the son! Romeo Conbolt and Adeline Rousseau were engaged to be married. Since they had no ties or other living relatives, the Conbolt family inherited their business"

"The terrorist must not have taken it as a direct sin" Gildarts added "And left it as a warning to others" he glanced to Erza "What are we supposed to do, now? This terrorist is also a mass murderer, we can't let the people walk around freely at night"

"We'll put up a notice, let people know a murderer is around" Erza said "Put up a curfew, especially for noblemen and women. No one is to be out past sunset. All in favor say 'aye'"

"Aye" Laxus and Gildarts said in symphony.

Erza exhaled, as all this time she had been holding her breath. They were one step closer to finding who this terrorist was . . . hopefully.

_Unnecessary. _

_Unwanted. _

_Sinful. _

ヽ( ⌒o⌒)人(⌒-⌒ )v

Natsu blew on his hand, lighting it on fire like a torch. It was their only light in the darkness; even though dragons had amazing sight, the dark was to them as it was to humans. A mass of black that was impossible to see through.

"Get that away from me," Kōri snapped, pushing his arm away from her. Natsu shrugged, keeping the flames as far away from her as possible.

After seeing the message on the Conbolt household, Kōri automatically knew it was blood. The smell was familiar to her, even though Natsu's nose no longer recognized the distinctive scent of blood. She was currently following the scent.

"This way," Kōri commanded, pointing into an old, abandoned shed. Natsu inhaled, then gagged. He'd gotten used to the smell of blood, yes, but the smell of blood here was so strong it nearly choked him.

"On three?" Natsu offered, gesturing to the door. Kōri nodded, and the two grabbed onto the door.

"One . . ." Natsu started, "Two, three!" They gave a mighty shove, and with the strength of two dragons, the locks shattered and the door literally fell off its hinges. Moonlight poured into the shed, and a hand went straight to Kōri's mouth in shock.

The body was male, and beaten so badly it was hardly recognizable as human. Bruises covered his face and arms; dried blood stained his hands. But the most gruesome part was the real injury. Three gashes going straight from his shoulder down to the pit of his stomach, like someone had literally slashed right through him. They looked like claw marks.

"The terrorist . . . completely . . . _slaughtered _him" Natsu gasped.

"Look at the wound, Natsu" Kōri gulped "Could any human make that?"

Frankly, Natsu didn't _want_ to look at the wound. But he couldn't help it, and truthfully, it didn't look like any knife could do it. It was too deep, and blood was literally surrounding the body, the reds of it staining the floor.

"No" Natsu said, "Are you saying this was the work of dragons?"

"Either a dragon," Kōri answered "Or something that can _kill_ a dragon"

"I knew it" a new voice said before Natsu could even open his mouth "This—all of this—was the work of you damn dragons. All along"

Kōri whipped around and yelled "Knightwalker!"

Knightwalker strode over to them, her dragon-killing weapon flashing in the moonlight. She scowled at them, her eyes gleaming with hatred. Just like their first encountering, Natsu could feel her gaze going straight through his disguise. He somehow knew she was seeing him in his dragon form.

"No!" Natsu exclaimed, "We didn't kill him! We're trying to find out who this terrorist is, too! We're on your side!"

"You will never be on my side" Knightwalker hissed, "You dragons are creatures of pure chaos, of evil and destruction. All you know how to do is kill, as long as you exist this world will be a hopeless and evil place" she clenched her fists in anger "You are _unnecessary_, _sinful_, _and UNWANTED!_"

Knightwalker raised her weapon, slashing it out at Natsu. He leapt upwards, the blade only catching the ends of his trousers. He grabbed Kōri by the wrist, running off and dragging her with him.

He could hear Knightwalker running behind him, and then fell to his chest as something pierced him in the leg. An arrow, one that Knightwalker had shot, no doubt.

"Natsu!" Kōri exclaimed, grabbing his arm and helping him to his feet "We need to go into half-and-half form"

"But if anybody sees us—"

"_We've got no choice!_"

Natsu closed his eyes, willing his half-and-half form, a form that wasn't quite dragon, but not quite human. He felt the wings sprout from his back; his fingernails turn into claws, and the ordeal of spikes going down his back.

His eyes snapped open, his pupils now split like a demons, and he leapt upwards, taking flight. Kōri flew beside him, her form similar, except her wings were a mixture of an icy blue and white. Natsu's were a fiery orange and red.

"I think we lost her," Kōri said. Her voice sounded the same; after all, she as a person hadn't changed, even if her form had changed.

"I hope so," Natsu said "Any hints from that little happy reunion?"

"No," Kōri sighed, "Just that this terrorist isn't human. You get anything?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth" Natsu answered, and then dived towards the castle. He landed on Lucy's balcony, waving a final goodbye to Kōri. He concentrated on his human form, and when he opened his eyes, he found that he had returned to his human self.

He opened the door, surprising Lucy completely. She was writing her novel at her desk, and jumped back half a mile when she saw Natsu enter the room.

"Natsu!" she exclaimed, "How did you get on the balcony? This is the highest tower!"

"I flew," Natsu smirked.

"Ha-ha, very funny" Lucy rolled her eyes. She then saw the look of seriousness on Natsu's face, her eyes widened, and she said, "Wait, you're _serious_?"

"Do dragons have wings?" Natsu laughed "but, yeah, I'm serious. I have wings, even in this form"

"Damn! You could've taken me flying" Lucy sighed.

"The princess and a man with wings," Natsu snickered "That wouldn't draw a crowd at all, would it?"

"I guess it would" Lucy laughed "But it can't hurt to dream c—? Oh my god, there's an arrow in your leg!"

"Oh," Natsu glanced down at his leg, which still had an arrow lodged in it. He'd honestly forgotten about it, being with Lucy, nothing else seemed to really matter "There is, isn't there?"

"How did you get an arrow in you?" Lucy exclaimed "Oh, that doesn't matter! We need to get you to Wendy"

"Lucy, it's fine" Natsu bent over, grabbed the end of the arrow, and yanked it out. He grabbed one of her washcloths and tied it around the wound, blood staining it.

"It's just a human arrow, no big deal" he rolled his eyes "It'll be healed by tomorrow, its not that deep. You're going to need a new washcloth, though"

Lucy's eyes were wide, and then she reached out a hand and slapped him across the face.

"Ow!" Natsu exclaimed, a hand going to his face "What was that for?"

"For scaring the hell out of me!" Lucy snapped "And making a mess out of my washcloth without asking me!"

"I'm sorry" Natsu muttered.

"Whatever! How did you get an arrow in your leg?" Lucy growled "And you better not lie to me, Natsu! I _order_ you to tell me the truth"

Natsu cringed. When he was ordered to do something, he couldn't disagree. He had to do it, refusing ended in his instant death.

"Kōri and I were trying to catch the terrorist," Natsu said "And we got caught by Erza Knightwalker, a dragon hunter. And she tried to kill me, but ended up giving me this boo-boo" he pointed to the wound on his leg.

Lucy gasped "Erza . . . Knightwalker?"

"Not your General," Natsu said "Someone who looks a lot like her, yes. But not her, I know that for certain"

Lucy nodded "I trust you. It's just that name. It seems so familiar to me, but I can't put my finger on it . . ." Lucy shook her head "It's probably nothing important. Can you stay with me tonight"

Natsu gave her a quick kiss on the forehead "Of course, Mistress"

( ﾟ∀(・－・) ￢o(￣-￣ﾒ)

_**Here's chapter Ten! I have a little challenge for you guys, to see if you've been paying attention to the story. (^.6) The question is: who do **__**you**__** think is the terrorist? May be a little early to ask this question, but I really want to know what you think! Leave your answers in reviews, and reasoning behind it would be appreciated please!**_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	11. Unnecessary

_**Hey, guys! 9 more reviews and we're at 100! . I'm so happy I could cry! And I'm glad most of you guys answered my challenge, you are worthy readers. I might be doing a few of those challenges; I like to know where I stand in this story with you guys.**_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Eleven ~ * ~ * **_

_**~ * ~ * Unnecessary ~ * ~ * **_

There were few things Natsu found that were punishable even if they weren't covered by the law. If Lucy loved any other man, the other man would face an ultimate death for abducting his mate. Making a friend or teammate cry was also punishable by severe wounds and perhaps death. And the worst was merciless, pointless killing, and then abusing the body rather than respecting the dead.

This terrorist had killed a man, and then used his blood to leave a message on a wall. They were that desperate to get their point out—whatever that point might be; it wasn't so important that it gave them the right to kill a man.

"Natsu," Lucy said, entering the room "They found out who the body was. The man who got killed—it was Dan Straight"

Dan Straight. Natsu had hated him for so long, how many times had he cursed Dan's name? How many times did he wish he would die and leave Lucy alone? An uncontrollable guilt stirred in Natsu's stomach, as if him wishing for Dan to die was what caused Dan to die.

"To think I kicked him off the palace yards almost every day," Natsu sighed "Chasing him with a broom, setting his dumb armor on fire. And now he's dead, and I never got to say sorry . . ."

His voice was so solemn, Lucy couldn't laugh, no matter how funny his statement might have seemed. She could sense that he really did feel guilty about Dan's death.

"Hey," Lucy sat across from him on her bed, took his right hand and kissed his palm "It wasn't your fault. You had no idea that terrorist was going to kill Dan"

"You're right," Natsu answered "But I'm going to avenge him. This terrorist is going down"

Lucy didn't answer, she laid a hand on his shoulder, leaning in and kissing him. He took a few seconds to respond, and then put his hands on her back and pulled her close. She put her arms around his neck; he was holding her close in a tight embrace.

"Can I stay the night?" Natsu asked.

"Only if you call me 'Mistress'" Lucy smirked.

Natsu scoffed "Fine. Can I stay the night, _Mistress_?"

"Yes, you can" Lucy responded, then kissed him once more.

( 。・_・。)人(。・_・。 )

When Natsu awoke, the moon was still high in the sky. The night was dark; the stars gleamed in a coal black sky. Lucy was curled up in his arms, sound asleep, resting her head in the crook of his neck.

His dragon hearing had picked up a light tapping on the window. Gently, as not to wake Lucy, he slipped out of bed. The tapping came from the nearest window, where a dark figure sat.

"Kōri?" Natsu asked, opening the window. She was dressed in her nightgown, her white locks let loose. When out of its usual ponytail, her hair nearly reached her ankles. The symbol of a traditional dragon female: never cutting their hair until reaching the age of twenty-one. So at the age of nineteen, long locks were expected of girl dragons.

"Hey," Kōri said, climbing in "I had a feeling you'd be here. Did you tell Lucy that we're hunting this terrorist?"

"Yeah, why?" Natsu asked.

"Good, wake her up" Kōri smirked "I did some hard thinking, and I need some information from the king's daughter"

Natsu hesitated, and then shook Lucy awake. She muttered a bit in her sleep, and then blinked her eyes open and sat up.

"K-Kōri-San?" Lucy muttered "What—what're you doing in my room?"

"I helping your guardian find the terrorist," Kōri said "And I need some information. The noble houses that were burned down, who did they belong do? And did everyone in the households die?"

Lucy glanced to Natsu, who nodded, before answering "All in all, there weren't any survivors. The first attack was on the Hokkaido family, then the Rousseau, then the Dixon"

"Did they specialize in anything?" Kōri asked.

"I don't know," Lucy admitted "What the nobles families do is only accessible to my father and his most trusted: Jellal Fernandes, General Erza Scarlett, Knight Captain Laxus Dreyar, and Sir Gildarts Clive. Not even Noble Families know what other noble families do for their fortune"

"Why are you asking that?" Natsu asked Kōri.

Kōri bit her lip, then her thumbnail as she said, "Because I could still see the paint. I checked the remains of the houses that were burned to a crisp; they each had a word written in paint of the ashes. Very faint though, so no human could see it anymore. One word per demolished household, it was 'unnecessary', 'unwanted', and 'sinful'"

"That's why you needed to know the families," Lucy realized "to see if they could be categorized as any of those words"

"And I don't think they can," Kōri said, "I never forget anything, and I don't ever remember a report of any Hokkaido, Dixon, or Rousseau family members committing a crime, at least, not from Ōkoku. What about in Magnolia or Fiore?"

"My memory's as good as yours, and I don't remember anyone of that name getting arrested" Natsu said "Nothing makes them unnecessary, sinful, or unwanted"

"Then there's the message that was written in blood," Kōri said "'This was a warning', and the body of that murdered boy we found. A human couldn't have done that, but all the people who knew about the noble families _are_ human! This isn't adding up"

"Wait a second, it might" Lucy said "Sinful, warning . . . I think maybe this terrorist is trying to rid the world of sins. By getting rid of what they clarify as 'unnecessary', 'unwanted', and 'sinful'. After all, when you do something wrong you get a warning"

"That . . . that could be true!" Kōri exclaimed "But why would the terrorist destroy all those other homes, and leave off the Conbolt home with a 'warning'?"

"Because Romeo Conbolt and Adeline Rousseau were engaged!" Lucy realized "And since they had no living relatives, the Conbolts were giving their business. Since they didn't choose it, the terrorist must not have taken it as a direct sin and left them off with a 'warning'"

"That's right!" Kōri said, "Wait . . . now that I think about it . . . what if this terrorist is more than one person?"

"Huh?" Natsu asked.

"Think about it. In order to know about their so-called 'sins', they'd have to be one of the four king Jude trusts, or King Jude himself. But the crimes had to be done by something inhuman" Kōri said "What if one of those five is the actual man behind the mask, but they have a dragon doing their dirty work for them?"

"If that's the case, forget two" Natsu scoffed "What about three—four—five people helping out? Hell, what if it's an entire _society_ of maniacs trying to rid the world of sins by burning down houses and murdering the innocent?"

"Let's take this one step at a time," Lucy said, "Maybe this terrorist is only one person. How can we catch him / her?"

"Lucy, the families that were attacked," Kōri said, "Did they have anything in common?"

"Um . . . yes, actually" Lucy said "The Hokkaido family is the oldest line of noble families in Fiore, and Rousseau is second, and Dixon was third"

"Maybe this terrorist is going down, starting with the oldest families and going to the youngest ones" Natsu said "Lucy, which family is next in that line?"

"The Ishikawa family," Lucy said "And they've been attacking every other night for the past week. So if we head by the Ishikawa residence tomorrow—"

"We'll catch the terrorist!" Natsu and Kōri exclaimed in unison, high-fiving each other and then high-fiving Lucy. Well, Kōri high-fived Lucy, Natsu grabbed Lucy by the shoulders and kissed her, full on the mouth.

"Hey, no public displays of emotion!" Kōri snapped, but there was laughter in her voice and a playful glint in her eye. Natsu smirked, that was the first time he heard her laugh. She'd devoted all her time to finding this terrorist and keeping Gray safe, she acted as if she had no time for petty things like fun and laughter.

"Whatever," Natsu smirked "This terrorist is going down!"

(〓￣(∵エ∵)￣〓) (=^･ω･^)y＝

Night had fallen long before, as the three waited in near the Ishikawa residence. Natsu was completely alert, yet entirely bored, as he stared at the house. Twice he could've sworn he saw it moving.

"Do you really think they'll come tonight?" Lucy whispered.

"I'm almost positive" Kōri responded, "We just have to be patient"

Natsu shifted his weight, and then his nose twitched. A scent lingered in his nose, one almost completely unfamiliar.

"Hey, does anyone else smell—?" Natsu asked, the looked to the sky. There was a curling tendril of black, floating into the sky, visible even in the dark. The smoke drifted nearer, and Natsu could see the lights of flames dancing over the roofs of a few buildings.

"Shit!" Kōri shrieked, leaping upwards and taking off running "they tricked us!". Natsu grabbed Lucy, carrying her in a not-quite-bridal style fashion as he ran after Kōri. As a human, he knew she'd never be able to catch up to them.

They ran towards the lights of the fire, finally coming across a home that Natsu recognized. The Roux household, the nicest house he'd ever seen. A redbrick home of five stories, a black roof, and a rather classic look. He hoped he'd be able to own a house like that one day. And now it was falling to ashes before his eyes.

"Maybe the terrorist is still around here" Natsu exclaimed, running towards the back of the house.

"Forget the terrorist!" Kōri snapped, "We could save this place!" She got into a stance he'd never seen before, one where she put a fist on her open palm "Ice Make: Shield!"

She spread her hand in an outward motion, ice blasting from her open palm and covering the house, like a dome. The flames leapt upwards, desperate to escape their icy prison, lapping at the ice. In the heat of the fire, the ice melted, dosing the house in water. The fires own desperation had been the end of it.

"What kind of magic is that?" Natsu asked, setting Lucy on the ground and turning to Kōri.

"Ice Magic" Kōri explained, then ran towards the house "We need to check for survivors!"

Natsu followed her, Lucy trying extremely hard to catch up. Natsu knocked down the door with a single, powerful kick, the door flying off its hinges and slamming on the ground. There was complete silence, not a single person in sight. Kōri and Natsu exchanged a glance as they walked up the stairs, looking into every floor. Until they reached the top floor, entering the only room on that floor.

Lucy took a few steps forward "Hello . . .?"

Natsu jumped, turning around quickly as he heard the door slam. A woman was standing in front of the door, blocking their only exit. Her weapon gleamed, even in the darkness, her eyes glinting with triumph and pure hatred.

"Knightwalker" Kōri hissed, "You're the terrorist"

Knightwalker smiled "The Holy Ones promised me a world ridden of all evil, and that includes dragon scum like you. They also promised that I would be the one to kill you, like I have waited so many years for. Now," Knightwalker drew her weapon, pointing it at then "It's time for you to die"

"If you so much as lay a finger on Lucy," Natsu growled "I will rip you to shreds"

"The Holy Ones . . ." Lucy whispered.

Knightwalker smirked, then charged, blade at the ready. Suddenly, Kōri leapt in her path, catching her blade with what looked to be a sword made of ice. Colors glinted off it like a rainbow, giving it a crystal and delicate appearance. But Natsu knew it was as strong and sharp as any blade.

"Get Lucy out of here!" Kōri shouted, "I'll hold her off!"

"If that thing touches you, you're dead!" Natsu reminded her "And she wants to kill dragons, you're making it easy for her!"

"Something tells me it's Lucy she really wants!" Kōri shouted "Now go, scram!"

Natsu grabbed Lucy, one arm around her waist, using his free arm to completely jump out the window. They were at least thirty feet up, and Natsu dug his newly resurfaced claws in the side of the building, sliding down the side of the house.

He suddenly leapt off the brick wall, his wings expanding, soaring into the sky. Lucy screamed in alarm, holding onto his shirt.

"I've decided I don't want to fly anymore!" Lucy exclaimed. Natsu tightened his grip on her as he flew towards the ground. He landed in front of the house, quickly turning back to his human form.

"Wait!" Lucy exclaimed, pointing to the house "What about K—?"

The door burst open, and Kōri stepped out. She seemed completely unharmed, except she was covered in scarlet blood. Not on her face, but it was all over her chest.

She turned to Natsu "You were right the first time you saw Knightwalker. A dragon could take her on, no problem"

"You killed her?" Lucy's eyes were wide.

"It's kill or be killed" Kōri sighed, the look in her eyes said she felt guiltier than she was admitting to "And now the terrorist is finally gone"

"She went nuts," Natsu said "Did you hear what she was blabbering about? 'The Holy Ones'? She was so driven by her dragon hunting . . ."

"That it made her believe she was making a world free of sin" Lucy shook her head in sadness "the poor soul"

Natsu reached over, taking Lucy's hand and intertwining it with his. The terrorist was dead; this was finally over. They could finally live in peace; have a little freedom.

But yet . . . there was a nagging voice at the back of head. Telling him this _wasn't _over.

ヽ(＾▽＾)人(＾▽＾)人(＾▽＾)ﾉ

_Click-click, click-click, click-click. _

The Master pulled back one ball of the Newton's cradle, watching the balls click together. Flying outwards only to fall back into place, the never-ending chain reaction.

The Servant was called Akujin. His hair was as black as a raven's wings, mixed with blood red, his eyes as sneaky and evil as a spider's. And like most spiders, his eyes were a yellow-gold, the pupil slit like a snakes. He was a demon of the worst kind, one straight from the darkest pits of hell.

"Knightwalker is dead," the Master said "Is that not correct?"

Akujin looked up from his scroll "That is correct, Master. The Ice Dragon killed her in a duel. She was useless anyway"

"Our cause is much like this cradle, Akujin" the Master said, "Everything is needed to work perfectly. If one piece is missing," the Master took out a pair of scissors, cutting the string off one of the marbles, causing it to roll off the desk and onto the floor "It won't work the same" the Master pulled back a single ball, but the clicks were lopsided and uneven.

The Master glared at Akujin "Without Knightwalker, who will set the fires?"

"I set the fire on the Conbolt home just fine" Akujin reminded him.

"Yes, you did follow out my orders impressively" The Master hummed "But I believe I said to kill Straight and write the message in paint. Not _slaughter_ Straight and write the message in his blood"

"I was only having a bit of fun," Akujin grumbled.

"You better start getting better," The Master commanded, "Any more sloppy work could lead to someone discovering our identity. Now, the boy, Damian Miyagi, does he suspect a thing?"

"Nothing" Akujin answered, "None of the palace servants do"

"Good, good. And Queen Ur and her children?" the Master asked.

"The youngest boy is to be the next king of Fiore, the oldest son to be the king of Ōkoku" Akujin said, "The girl, Ultear, is to be in charge of the government of Fiore and Ōkoku, the puppet master behind the curtain. While Gray-Dono and Lyon-Dono remain as public idol, Ultear will remain as the one pulling the strings and making the decisions"

The Master nodded "Yes, yes, perfect. This is going just as planned"

"What about the dragons?" Akujin asked.

"A minor setback," the Master said, "Nothing you can't handle, I presume. Now, I want you to burn down the Ishikawa household. And kill any damned dragon that gets in your way"

(〃￣д￣)八( ￣д￣ )八(￣д￣〃)

The headline on the paper had Natsu's hands shaking; he gripped it as if checking to see if it was real. He hoped it wasn't. He thought this was over, he hoped this was the end. Maybe this was just a bad dream, and he was going to wake up soon.

_TERRORIST STRIKES AGAIN. ISKIKAWA HOUSE FALLS IN FIRE. _

_The Holy Ones. _Knightwalker wasn't crazy; she was under some one's lead. Doing 'The Holy One's dirty work, and who else was following this Holy One's lead? How many people were going insane trying to achieve a world free of sin?

How many were following the Holy Ones?

And who _was_ the Holy One?

(^^)-(^^)-(^^)-(^^)-(^^)

_**Chapter eleven is here! I do have a challenge question for you guys again :3. Q: Do you think the Holy One is a society or a single person? Answers in reviews, again, and reasons behind your answer would be appreciated!**_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja**_


	12. Sinful

_**I just want to thank you guys. Last I checked; this story had **__**119 reviews!**__** I'm so happy! I got a suggestion saying that to celebrate 100 reviews, to do a 100-base story . . . any body care to tell me what that IS exactly? Heh, this is a little embarrassing . . .**_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Twelve ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * Sinful ~ * ~ ***_

Erza would have been happy with a simple burial. While investigating the Roux household, she had come across her sister's body. Erza hadn't said anything, but she knew a dragon had finally gotten the better of her.

The sword implanted in Knightwalker's chest was one Erza discovered to be made completely out of ice. This caused an uproar in the Science court, every doctor and scientist saying how this was impossible; an ice sword would melt in a persons hands, and the sword would've melted by the time Erza found the body. Yet, every analysis came to the same conclusion: the sword was made of pure, solid ice.

"You're being ridiculous, General Scarlett!" Knight Captain Laxus spat "Obviously, it's a material that just _looks_ like ice!"

Erza had simply nodded, agreeing, pretending as if this was nothing. But, in the end, she had lost her last trace of family. Knightwalker was dead.

She would've been fine with a simple burial, a private one, with just the ones who actually cared about Knightwalker, which is to say, herself and Jellal. But then King Jude and every noble family found out that the beloved Erza Scarlett's twin sister had been killed.

That resulted in the planning of a giant funeral. Including many nobles, pianos and violins, a choir, and a priest who never met Knightwalker telling everyone how great she was.

Erza over looked herself in the mirror, tucking a lock of scarlet hair under her veil. She tried to cover up the red, to tuck it into her hat. She knew how much Knightwalker hated that color; even her lipstick was avoiding the color red.

The church was something of an almost eerie beauty. Blacks and silvers, draping all over the place in the fashions of armor, painted stars over a black ceiling, candles every where and not a single window in sight. Erza glanced to the stands; seeing every knight in the king's army, every servant in the king's palace, every noble family that answered to the king, even the king's own daughter. But, of course, not the king himself.

"Miss Scarlett?" a voice said. Erza turned, seeing a girl she'd only seen a few times around the castle, and always with Prince Gray. Her long, snow-white hair was in a braid, and she also had a black veil over her face. The white of her hair seemed to glow against the blackness of her dress.

"Yes, who may you be?" Erza asked.

"My name is Kōri, Kōri Hiryū," the girl said "the Prince Gray's bodyguard. Look, I've lost Family members before I just want you to know that I am extremely sorry for your loss"

"Thank you," Erza dipped her head in thanks "That means a lot to me"

Kōri nodded, walking over to Gray. He opened his arms and she gave him a small hug. Erza glanced over to them, and for a moment, she could've sworn she saw Kōri whisper something into Gray's ear. He gave her a look of utter horror, and then gave her an even tighter hug.

Erza took her seat next to Jellal, who draped an arm around her shoulders and have her a comforting hug.

"Are you ok?" Jellal asked.

"Yes, I'm fine" Erza said, resting her head on his shoulder. Yes, she was sad. Practically torn open, as if someone had literally ripped her heart out and split it in two. Yet, even so, the tears wouldn't come. The regret of Knightwalker's death, the sadness of her loss, it somehow wasn't enough to bring her to tears. Nothing brought her to tears anymore.

When the prayers started, Erza's hand went to her neck. She'd worn a cross around her neck for this very occasion. She bowed her head in, clutching the cross in her palm.

"_Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name; Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" _Erza chanted"_Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, amen_"

Her eyes wandered over to Knightwalker's casket, the coffin that contained her sisters body, soon to be put in the ground and forgotten by nearly everyone here. Except her. She would never forget, but unlike her sister, she would forgive. If a dragon had killed her, Erza believed that a creature such as a dragon would have reason to.

"_Dear Lord, please forgive my sister of her sins and allow her into heaven_" Erza chanted "_Please forgive Erza Knightwalker of everything she did wrong and allow her peace in the afterlife. In your name I pray, Amen_"

The ceremony was over after a few hours, they didn't even do open coffin. This entire funeral was just for show, and it made Erza sick to her stomach. She never should have agreed to this.

"_Nee-Chan_"

Erza's eyes widened, and she turned to the back of the church. There was a little girl sitting at the feet of a statue of Jesus. She had dark red hair, innocent brown eyes, and a patch over her right eye. The looks were close, but the eye patch gave it away. At the young age of ten, Knightwalker had given up her right eye to see through Super Natural veils, so she could see if a human was really a dragon in disguise.

"Knightwalker?" Erza breathed.

The young girl jumped down from the statue, gesturing for Erza to come to her. Almost as if in a trance, Erza walked to the young Knightwalker. Knightwalker grabbed her hand, leading her out of the church.

Knightwalker walked her over to the edges of the churchyard, which was on the tallest hill in all of Magnolia. It overlooked all of magnolia, as the sun set on the castle.

"_Nee-Chan,_" Knightwalker's voice sounded like a child's, yet distant and far-off "_Seek the dragons, fire never leaves far from the candle_"

"Sister, what do you mean?" Erza asked, getting down on one knee and putting a hand on her shoulder. Knightwalker's face was emotionless, but her eyes were full of sadness and worry.

"_Fire never leaves far from the candle_" Knightwalker repeated "_Kaminari ga jimen ni atatta toki ni konran ga kudaru_"

"I don't know what you mean!" Erza exclaimed.

"_Seek the dragons,_" Knightwalker whispered, then reached forward, cupping Erza's right eye with her miniature hand "_Kaminari ga jimen ni atatta toki ni konran ga kudaru_"

There was a glowing, almost blinding light in her right eye, just before Knightwalker removed her hand. Everything seemed the same, as Knightwalker removed her eye patch. Her eye was completely fine, except it had a ring of glowing purple around it.

"_Seek the dragons_" Knightwalker whispered, then her body completely faded away, floating into the heavens like dandelion seeds.

"Erza! Are you going to come home with us?" Lucy called. Erza turned to face Lucy, and her face flew over her mouth. It was only as a reflex, because if she hadn't covered her mouth, she swore she would've screamed.

Natsu's figure was flashing, going from his normal self, to a dragon the size of a stallion. Its scales were red and orange, flickering like the colors of flames. Gray walked next to Lucy, Kōri next to him. Her figure was flickering between human and dragon; the scales along her dragon body were a mixture of icy blue and white.

_Seek the dragons. _

Erza took in a breath, then walked over and grabbed Natsu and Kōri by the shoulders, forcing them to linger behind as Lucy and Gray walked to the carriage.

"I know what you two are," Erza whispered "And I know that dragons like you can help me solve this terrorist case"

(^^)-(^^)-(^^)-(^^)-(^^)

"You saw your sister?" Lucy asked, her eyes wide. She, General Erza Scarlett, Natsu, Kōri, Gray, and a blue-haired woman she didn't recognize were sitting at the coffee table in Lucy's room.

Erza took a sip of her tea "Yes, as a child. She gave me the sight to see the true forms of dragons. That's how I knew who you were"

"Kōri -Sempai . . . you're a dragon?" the blue-haired woman asked.

"Yes, Juvia, I am" Kōri gave a small smile "Surprise . . .?"

"This sister of yours, did she say anything in particular?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, only three things" Erza said "Um, 'seek the dragons', 'fire never leaves far from the candle', and something in another language. I may be off, but I think it was . . . um . . . '_Kaminari ga jimen ni atatta toki ni konran ga kudaru_', yes that's it"

"'Seek the dragons' seems pretty obvious," Gray said "But random gibberish and 'fire never leaves far from the candle'? Does that even mean anything at all?"

"I've gotta agree with Gray," Natsu said, "That seems like a bunch of words meaning absolutely nothing"

"Juvia doesn't think Erza-San's sister would only say one thing helpful," the blue-haired woman Lucy took to be Juvia said, "Why say three things but make only one of them actually mean something"

"I'm going to research that phrase, the one in another language," Lucy said, grabbing a book on languages "It sounds familiar . . ."

"As for 'fire never leaves far from the candle', that might be a play on a quote or saying" Kōri said "Like 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree', but fitted to this situation".

"But why would that saying fit this situation?" Natsu asked, "This is a terrorist burning down houses, not a child acting like a parent"

"Now that Juvia thinks about it, it makes sense to her" Juvia said "Perhaps Erza-San's sister was saying that the fires originated from the castle. After all, the fires have been all over Magnolia, and nowhere else in Fiore. Juvia believes that Erza-San's sister was saying that the terrorist lives or works in the palace"

"That does make sense," Gray said, smiling at Juvia "Good job, Juvia! You're so smart to think of that"

Juvia's face turned the color of fresh cherries, as she looked to the ground. Natsu opened his mouth to comment on their relationship, but Lucy yelled in triumph, interrupting him.

"I've got it!" Lucy exclaimed, "'_Kaminari ga jimen ni atatta toki ni konran ga kudaru_' is Japanese. It means 'chaos descends when lightning hits ground'"

"When lightning hits ground?" Gray raised an eyebrow "Huh? Does that mean she's saying that lighting causes these fires? That this is all a big accident?"

"_Lightning_ didn't murder Dan Straight and use his blood to leave a message on the wall," Natsu spat "_Lightning_ didn't write messages over those remains! _Lightning_ isn't a secret cult trying to rid the world of sin!"

"Juvia knows that lightning isn't a cult," Juvia said "But she is very confused"

"We think these fires are caused by a cult," Kōri said "One trying to—"

"Create their ideal world by ridding this one of 'sin'" Erza said, "You figured that out, too! Of course, you two must have some sort of freaky dragon sixth-sense that let you see the painted messages even after they disappeared!"

"Um, sort of, I guess" Natsu said, awkwardly "Anyway, the night Knightwalker died, she admitted to being a member of this cult. She kept saying that the Holy Ones were promising a world without sin, a world free of dragons."

"That does sound like her," Erza sighed, and then her eyes widened "Wait, you saw Knightwalker the night she died?"

"Yeah," Kōri said, clutching her own hands "We saw her. And then I killed her"

Erza's eyes snapped open, full of horror as she looked at Kōri "You . . . _you_ killed my sister?"

"She went nuts!" Natsu exclaimed before Kōri could open her mouth to defend herself "She was trying to kill us! If Kōri hadn't risked her own neck to fight her, Lucy and I would be dead right now!"

Erza nodded, a tear falling down her cheek "I know. I'm not mad at you, Kōri. My sister was dancing with insanity ever since our house was burned down in the Fiore wildfire. She blamed dragons, and vowed to kill every dragon on the planet. That need for revenge bent and twisted her mind, destroying her sanity. If someone told her that ridding the world of sin meant getting rid of dragons, she would do whatever it took to get rid of sin. Maybe killing her was for the best, finally putting her out of her misery"

"I'm so sorry, Erza-San" Kōri whispered.

"It's alright," Erza sighed "Now, Knight Captain Laxus Dreyar, Sir Gildarts Clive, and I figured out the 'ridding the world of sin' cult. So it can't be either of them"

"So it's either Jellal Fernandes—" Juvia started.

"Jellal would never do such a thing!" Erza spat "I trust him with my life!"

"Then that leaves . . ." Gray muttered.

"My father," Lucy said, getting to her feet and clutching the book in her hands "King Jude"

(〃⌒▽⌒)八(〃⌒▽⌒〃)八(⌒▽⌒〃)

"King Jude has got to be innocent," Kōri said, "Why would he attack his own kingdom? And he has got to be the most sinful, coldhearted man I ever met. If anyone _wants_ sin in the world, it's him"

"Agreed," Natsu said, "So we need to figure out how someone could have stolen the records for the noble families. Now I think—"

"You bastard," a muffled voice growled as they walked past the armory door "You're the biggest asshole I've ever met!"

"I-I'm s-s-sorry," that voice Natsu recognized; it was Damian "I r-really d-don't k-know w-what you m-mean"

"You know, a little birdie told me that you squealed about what you saw" the male voice snapped "To Princess Ultear. By doing that, you're confronting the Holy Ones. Do you want to do that?"

"I-I d-didn't t-tell a-ny-one" Damian sounded like he was crying, "I s-swear. I've k-kept y-your s-secret s-safe"

There was a loud crash, and the clanging of armor "_No one else knew!_"

"I-I'm sorry! I f-felt guilty," Damian sobbed, "I o-only t-told Ultear that I s-saw you p-planning the f-fires, and sh-she didn't b-believe me. Please d-don't hurt me, I'm so s-sorry!"

"Damn it," the other voice hissed "I'll let you off this time, but the next time I hear you squealed, you're _dead_. Understand?"

There was a squealing sound that could've been a sound of agreement, and there were footsteps.

"Hide!" Kōri exclaimed, grabbing Natsu by the arm and pulling him behind the walls. They peered over the wall, just barley, to see the door open. A man walked out, a knight, no doubt. He had huge muscles, spikey blonde hair, and bright blue eyes, and a scar shaped like a lightning bolt going through his right eye.

"Chaos descends when lightning hits ground," Natsu breathed.

"Knight Captain Laxus is the terrorist" Kōri's eyes were wide as they watched Laxus walk off. Just then, Damian stumbled out of the armory. He was limping, and a giant purple bruise covered his right eye.

"Damian-Kun!" Kōri exclaimed, as innocently as possible, running over to him "What the hell happened to you?"

"I-I was c-cleaning the armory and I t-tripped and it all f-fell on me," Damian spluttered. The poor boy sounded so afraid, so frazzled, even when he was talking to her rather than Laxus.

"You need to see Wendy," Natsu said.

"I—I'm f-fine, I s-swear" Damian exclaimed, grabbing his bucket and jumping back half a mile when Natsu tried to grab his shoulder "I n-need to st-starting c-cleaning . . ."

Damian turned on his heels, clutching the bucket as if it were his only link to sanity. Kōri shook her head in pity.

"Laxus, that bastard" Kōri clenched her teeth in anger "He's going to pay for doing that to Damian"

(〃￣д￣)八( ￣д￣ )八(￣д￣〃)

Natsu wasn't sure when he got to Lucy's room. It was almost like being drunk, whenever he just needed to see her. Things happening, even when he didn't know how it happened. Some how, Lucy was in his arms, kissing him passionately.

He was breathing in her scent, with her fingers in his hair, holding her close. Like drinking wine, it was an addiction. He didn't want to stop when he already started.

"Lucy-San, I—" Juvia and Gray walked into the room, but Gray cut Juvia off when he yelled "_holy shit_!"

Lucy and Natsu jumped apart, Lucy matting down her hair and Natsu buttoning up the collar of his shirt.

"This isn't what it looks like!" Lucy exclaimed "Natsu, here, was just—um—checking my, err, pulse?"

"Juvia could not be happier!" Juvia dragged Gray in the room, slammed the door, then threw her arms around Gray's neck and kissed him, right on the mouth.

"Ok," Natsu raised an eyebrow "Now I'm confused"

Gray broke away first, but kept an arm around Juvia's waist "I've been seeing Juvia all this time. Probably when all the while, you were seeing Natsu. Why didn't you guys do anything about it, though? If you like each other . . ."

"We understand that you need to marry Lucy," Natsu said "for the kingdom. I'm not going anywhere"

"So I'm your cover story?" Gray asked Lucy.

"And I'm yours," Lucy nodded "That's the way things work these days. I can get Juvia a job in the court; then we can both play this game for the rest of our lives. Just don't tell anyone, please!"

"I won't," Gray said, "So it's a deal then. We pretend to love each other to the public eye, and completely ignore each other the rest of the time"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Natsu turned to Lucy, smiling "Deal, whatever. Now where were we?"

ヽ(○´∀)乂(*´∀`*）乂(∀`●)

_**Aw. I wanted to give Erza and Damian big hugs when I wrote this. But, anyways, question time: do you think Laxus the actual terrorist or just another henchmen? Answers in the reviews, please, and reasoning behind it would be appreciated.**_

_**Like it, Love it, hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja**_


	13. Unwanted

_**Thanks for the reviews everyone! I'm really happy about this: first one hundred reviews, maybe next, it'll be two hundred reviews! Ha-ha, I shouldn't get too ahead of myself (blush).**_

_**But one thing that's completely off-topic: my new profile picture. I typed in 'Blue Ninja' on Google and it came up; I practically drowned in awesomeness. Nothing that said directly 'Blueninjmanga22' on it, but this came close, right? A blue girl ninja, in manga form, pretty close. **_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Thirteen ~ * ~ * **_

_**~ * ~ * Unwanted ~ * ~ ***_

"_Long live the king! Long live the princess!_"

Human idolism was something Natsu would never understand. Why would such a crowd come when there wasn't anything worth watching? Natsu, Kōri, and Juvia were three of the billions of faces that had gathered to hear King Jude's words.

As expected, the speech was about Gray and Lucy's engagement, finally shinning the light of truth down to the public. And just like everyone else, Natsu pretended to be completely oblivious (as Lucy shouldn't have told him of her 'oh-so-secret' engagement) and clapped, yelling out 'long live the insert royalty name here.

"_GraLu!_" a feminine voice from the back of the crowd screamed, causing the rest of the crowd to cheer in response.

Natsu turned to Kōri, raising an eyebrow "'GraLu'?"

"Gray and Lucy," Juvia explained with a smile.

"Modern couple nicknames," Kōri rolled her eyes as she clapped "Trust me, they'll never catch on"

Natsu shrugged, and then shouted at the top of his lungs "Long live the princess!"

Gray and Lucy waved, and then did the unthinkable. To Natsu, that is. Gray had an arm around Lucy's shoulders, and then he leaned forward and planted a kiss on her lips.

That little show of emotion caused an uncontrollably happy riot in the crowd. Cheering, screaming, clapping. But Natsu was frozen in place, unable to move or look away. Juvia seemed to be the same stance, except she looked to be near tears.

Kōri looked to the both of them, put a hand on each of their shoulders (standing a bit on her tiptoes to reach Natsu's ear) and whispered in their ears "Look, they need to be convincing. The public won't believe a thing if they just smile and look happy; they need to give some eye candy. Got it?"

Juvia nodded, but quickly hugged Kōri, sobbing onto her shoulder. Kōri was taken aback at first, and then returned the hug, comforting her, whispering that it will be ok.

"Tears of joy," Natsu said to the family that was giving Juvia suspicious looks. He kept repeating that to anyone who started to stare.

"K-Kōri-Sempai . . ." Juvia sobbed, "He said . . . He _promised_ . . ."

"It's alright, Ju-Chan" Kōri cooed "Everything will fall into place soon, everything will be alright. You don't need to cry"

Natsu glanced up at the balcony, where Lucy broke apart from Gray, clutching onto his jacket, like a happy couple should. They painted a pretty picture, one even he couldn't look through. And he wondered what was going on behind the masks Gray and Lucy were wearing.

_(-.)o(O.O)o(.-)_

"What the hell was that?" Natsu snapped as soon as he and Lucy were alone in her bedroom.

"What?" Lucy looked over her shoulder, she had cookie crumbs all over her face, since it was teatime and she was currently munching on one of Damian's famous sugar cookies. At any other time, he would find that unbelievably adorable and wipe the crumbs off her face. But he was completely enraged.

"You know what I'm talking about! The kiss?" Natsu spat.

"Oh!" Lucy laughed, "You don't need to be jealous of Gray-Kun kissing me"

"Gray-_Kun_?"

"Yes, Gray-_Kun_. It was all for show, Natsu. Like actors playing a part, it meant absolutely nothing"

"Well, don't do it again"

"I have to. Have you ever heard a couple that doesn't kiss each other? You saw that riot today, the people love us together"

"I don't care"

Lucy sighed, wiping the crumbs away with her sleeve. She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck, then whispered, "You don't have to be jealous of him, Natsu"

"He's Gray-Kun, and I'm just Natsu?" Natsu growled, turning away from her and sitting at the couch "I can't even be near you without thinking of him. You're practically drenched in his scent"

"I can't get over the fact that you think I _smell_ like someone," Lucy rolled her eyes "And I thought you didn't mind if I addressed you casually. I know you well enough"

"Yeah, well, you know Gray well enough. What does he call you, now?" Natsu gritted his teeth "Lucy-Chan? Lu-Chan? Lulu-Chama? Lu-Nyan? Or maybe some other pathetic rub-off of Dan, I don't know, maybe your fiancée's creative"

"Natsu! You're acting like a child," Lucy snapped "We told you to be prepared for this. If we're going to convince anyone, Gray and I are going to have to act like we're in love"

"Yeah, I know. But you can be in love without him putting his lips on you" Natsu snapped.

"Oh, grow _up_! That was for show!" Lucy exclaimed "I'll bet you Juvia isn't angry at Gray right now, I'll bet you _she_ listened to a word he had to say!"

"She was cryin' her eyes out when she saw!"

"I will be you she listened to Gray's explanation! Because she trusts him! When you told me nothing was going on between you and Kōri, I believed you! Because I trust you! Why can't you trust me?"

"I do trust you! I just—"

"Natsu, Lucy-Dono?" Erza asked, entering the room "Is this a bad time?"

"Y—" Natsu started.

"No, Erza-Sensei," Lucy said quickly "What is it you want to talk about? We're in the middle of teatime, would you like a cup of tea?"

"Yes, that would be delightful," Erza said, taking a seat "Now, Kōri recently told me of your suspicion of Laxus, the lightning scar he has. And of course the only one we can possibly link to lightning is him"

"Thank you for the recap, but I was there" Natsu spat "Laxus completely beat the shit out of Damian for seeing him plan the fires, he admitted it! It's practically written all over his face!"

"I trust Laxus-Kun," Erza said, there was no certain emotion in her voice, but the look in her eyes could cause murder "I won't believe that he's guilty of anything without proof"

"You want proof, I'll get it for you," Natsu sat up "Where's Kōri and Juvia? I need someone who isn't human and a weird human"

(〃￣д￣)八( ￣д￣ )八(￣д￣〃)

Natsu bit his lip, pressing himself against the walls of Laxus's office. Kōri and Juvia were next to him, looking as if they were trying extremely hard not to breathe.

As one of the kings most trusted, and being Knight Captain, Laxus had gotten his own office. For calculations and battle plans, all the things a Knight Captain absolutely _needed_.

Natsu strained his ears, hearing Laxus's footsteps. Natsu ducked under the window as the door clicked open, seeing Laxus walked through the door. He pulled on his jacket, adjusting the various medals of Honor he owned.

_Erza owns more medals, _Natsu reminded himself, watching Laxus walk down the street with his brief case. As soon as he was out of sigh, a flash of light reflected across Juvia's eyes, like a sword flash. Then thunder rumbled across the sky, lightning flashed, and rain began to fall in bucketful's.

"Juvia thinks that should delay Laxus for a while," Juvia said.

"Good job, Juvia!" Kōri exclaimed "C'mon," she grabbed the knob, tugging on it. The door didn't budge; it was locked tight.

"Ice Make: Key" Kōri said, getting into position and creating a key, clear and crystal, reflecting a rainbow of colors. It was a key made completely out of ice.

Kōri quickly fit it into the lock, after a few long seconds, the lock clicked and door swung open. Natsu, Kōri, and Juvia ran inside, escaping the rain. With a wave of Juvia's hand, the water droplets flew off them, leaving them completely dry.

"You're a mage?" Natsu asked, "I thought you could just make it rain"

"Juvia is a Rain Woman" Juvia answered, "It allows Juvia to control water. Now, let's search this room, we may find something useful"

"This guy sure is full of himself," Kōri muttered, looking at a few paintings. Every picture had him in it, though each and every picture was with someone. He seemed like the kind of person who always sought out company.

"I'll search his desk," Natsu said, rummaging through the drawers of Laxus's desk. It was mainly file after file, and it bored Natsu to death. He kept looking until he found something that looked strange.

Rather than a place to put your legs under, the desk had a cabinet below its surface. It was a very old, wooden carving replica of Da Vinci's _Last Supper_ painting, but fading away quickly, old, and colorless. Natsu tried to open it, but it was locked tight.

"Kōri, I need your ice key" Natsu said. Kōri raised an eyebrow, but quickly made a key and clicked the lock open.

The inside of the cabinet seemed simple. A few crosses, paintings, and a saucer filled to the brim with water; lemon water, by the sharp smell of it.

"What is it?" Natsu asked.

"Looks like a monument. So he can pray before leaving off to a battle," Kōri said, "Makes sense why he would keep it locked. I wouldn't want anyone messing up my altars, either"

Natsu bit his lip. Something wasn't right. Kōri was right, it made sense to lock something as religious as a prayer monument. But why keep it in his desk, of all places? Wouldn't it make more sense to put it in a cabinet or a place bigger than a cramped cabinet under his desk?

He reached forward, and grabbed the bible lying in the center of the monument. He flipped through its pages, skimming through the book. It was a hardback book, kept it amazingly good shape. As he leafed through the pages, a slip of parchment slipped out, falling to the ground like a one-winged butterfly.

"What's this?" Kōri wondered aloud, grabbing the parchment. There was an unfamiliar seal on the front: one of fire curling into the shape of a cross. The seal was broken, the paper open.

Natsu read the paper over Kōri's shoulder. It seemed to mean absolutely nothing.

_Cleansings _

_X H.R. / U.N. _

_X R.R. / U.W. _

_X D.R. / S _

_C.R. / W (1) _

_X R.R. / U.N. _

_X I.R. / S_

_N.R. / S _

_T. R. / U.W. _

_C.R. / U.W._

_G. R. / S_

_M.G.R. / U.N. _

"This looks like absolute garbage" Natsu scoffed "What the hell does 'cleansings' mean?"

"Think about it for a minute, you moron" Kōri snapped, "The letters 'H.R.' have a big 'X' next to them. Hokkaido Residence, duh! And 'U.N.' could mean _unnecessary_, 'U.W.' could be _unwanted_, 'S' could be _sinful_, and 'W' could be _warning_. After all, there's a number next to the 'W', that could mean the number of warnings"

"Right, and they think they're cleaning the world of sin, so it's a cleansing" Natsu snapped his fingers "This is proof! He's planning out the fires!"

"Natsu-San . . . Kōri-Sempai . . ." Juvia whispered, walking over to them. She was holding an envelope in her hand "Juvia wants you to look at what she found. It was behind a book on the bookshelf"

The letter bore the same wax seal that was on the piece of parchment they found. The outer part had no return address, only the words '_The Holy Ones_' written above the wax seal, which was already broken.

Natsu opened the letter and read:

_To L._ _Dreyar, _

_Knightwalker is dead. Minor setback. You are to take over her duties, as I am too busy to take them. Best regards from the Master, and thank you for your cooperation. We shall work as one to rid this world of the unnecessary, the unwanted, and the sinful. _

_~A_

"He got right to the point," Natsu scoffed, trying to lighten the mood with a joke.

"Laxus isn't the one pulling the strings," Juvia said "He is only taking orders. Juvia believes that your cult theory is correct. We are dealing with more than one terrorist, here"

"It's awful. One of their own dies and they just replace her as if it's nothing?" Kōri growled angrily "And who is this 'A' person? They're obviously not the true mastermind; it says 'best regards from the master'. Like a Christmas card of pure evil"

"'Chaos descends when lightning hits ground'. Knightwalker was trying to say that Laxus was the one setting the fires," Natsu realized "God, how many people are working for this nut-job? I mean, Laxus, Knightwalker, and now this 'A' guy?"

"We need to get out of here," Kōri said, "Before Laxus gets back. Natsu, put the plans back where you found them. We'll take the note as the evidence we need for Erza"

Natsu quickly ran to the monument, putting the plans back in the bible and locking the cabinet with Kōri's ice key. The three then ran out of the office and into the rain, carrying let another mystery on their backs.

(^^)-(^^)-(^^)-(^^)-(^^)

"We'll be at the Heartfilia castle in a few minutes, Levanna-San" her carriage driver's ever-so-cheerful voice said "We're already in Magnolia"

"Please, call me Levy," Levy gave a smile through her annoyance. Was there a law against calling her 'Levy' now, or something?

The driver didn't answer, but Gajeel scoffed in response "They'll come around. Sooner or later everyone's gonna get tired of calling you 'Levanna' all the time"

Levy smiled "Thanks, Gajeel". Since she saw that the driver wasn't looking, she quickly leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. He turned the color of fresh cherries, looking away to keep her from noticing.

"Oh, look, Gajeel!" Levy exclaimed, looking out a window "A bookshop! Come on, let's look! Stop the carriage, please!"

"Levanna-San, I was given strict orders from your father to—" the driver started, but cringed when he saw the look on Gajeel's face. The look that said 'do-what-I-want-or-else-I-kill-you', and the look that could possibly be the scariest thing on the planet.

"One stop at a bookstore isn't going to hurt anyone, is it?" Gajeel asked, his glare saying 'refuse and you're dead'.

"N-not at all!" the driver stopped the carriage as fast as humanly possibly "Take your time, please!"

Levy smiled excitedly, jumping out of the carriage (and nearly tripping over her dress) as she looked through the many books. Like a kid in a candy store, she darted from book to book, and made sure to drag Gajeel with her the entire time.

After she had bought her fifth tenth novel, Levy had decided that she had bought enough. Gajeel had finished putting her books in the carriage when the smell hit him. Of smoke, of something burning, but as he looked around, he couldn't see any fire. He glanced at Levy, his dragon hearing picking up the sound of material crumbling apart.

"_Levy, look out_!" Gajeel exclaimed, rushing forward to push her out of the way. As soon as she was moved, a pile of rubbing fell from the sky, right where Levy was standing. From the top of the buildings, a chunk of fiery cement had fallen off the top of the building.

"Oh, my gosh" Levy breathed, "You . . . You saved me"

"I couldn't let my Mistress die," Gajeel said. He then realized their position, where he was halfway on top of Levy. They were both on the ground, but Gajeel had a protective arm around her shoulders and at her waist.

"C'mon," Gajeel jumped up quickly, helping her to her feet. Ever since Levy admitted to liking him, Gajeel had been completely and utterly confused to what he thought of her. She was sweet, nice, smart, and beautiful in his eyes, but was that enough? When he made the Blood Oath with her, Gajeel declared Levy as his forever, not that she knew that though. He should be overjoyed, but as it was, he seemed confused. Was Levy really the right . . . so to say, _material_ to be his mate?

As Gajeel helped Levy back into the carriage, he couldn't help but stare at the rubble. Someone was trying to make a show. If that had been an accident, it wouldn't be on fire. Someone did that on purpose.

Someone was trying to kill Levy.

And to Gajeel, that was a crime punishable by death.

(((*°▽°*)八(*°▽°*)))

_**Aw, jealous Natsu and protective Gajeel. Dragons can be so adorable. Juvia, Kōri, and Natsu got really sneaky in Laxus's office. Found some "interesting" information, huh?**_

_**Now, challenge Q: Who do you think 'A' is? Ha, Pretty Little Liars moment (I do watch that show, criticize me as much as you want). Leave your answers in the reviews, and reasoning behind it would be appreciated.**_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja**_


	14. When Lightning Strikes

_**Hey, people. Sorry for taking longer than I usually do on this chapter, but I had a bit of writer's block, and I have manga drawing classes from 9:00 to noon, plus the fact that I'm writing two stories at a time.**_

_**Anyway, one of my friends here on (Mangalover2000) has posted a story called 'Starbeams'. I for one thinks it's awesome, it's NaLu, go and read it if you like.**_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Fourteen ~ * ~ * **_

_**~ * ~ * When Lightning Strikes ~ * ~ * **_

"Levy-Chan!" Lucy exclaimed, running down the stairs to throw herself at Levy, hugging her around the neck. Levy laughed, hugging her back.

"Lu-Chan!" Levy smiled.

"I missed you! Did you get my letter?" Lucy asked.

"I did, I want to meet your fiancée!" Levy squealed "Oh, Lu-Chan, I bet he's simply amazing!"

The pink-haired boy standing with his arms crossed coughed, muttered "Lucy sure seems to think so", and then coughed once more. Levy raised an eyebrow, looking to Lucy for an explanation.

"My throat's dry," the boy smirked.

"Ignore him," Lucy said, turning to face Levy "That's my bodyguard, Natsu Dragneel."

Levy's eyes widened as she whispered "That's Natsu?"

Lucy nodded, and then glanced past her. Gajeel was standing behind her, with his arms crossed, giving Natsu the glare of utter hatred. Did he feel threatened by another male dragon? Like an animal instinct to dominate?

"That's my bodyguard, Gajeel Redfox" Levy explained.

"Come on, Levy, let's go to my room," Lucy smiled, grabbing her by the arm, she then lowered her voice and said, "We have a lot to talk about"

*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:* (⌒▽⌒) (*´・ｖ・)

"A cult?" Levy asked, eyes wide "'The Holy Ones'? So they think they're cleansing the world of sin?"

"That is our suspicion, yes," General Erza said, "As it so happens, Natsu, Juvia, and Kōri found a letter addressed to Knight Captain Laxus telling him that my sister, Knightwalker, was dead. But that her death was just as minor setback, and that Laxus was to start the fires from then on out. It was signed 'A'"

"'A' . . ." Levy whispered, then looked to her bodyguard "Gajeel, does that mean anything at all to you?"

"That letter means jack squat to me; I hate the letter 'A'" Gajeel scoffed, rolling his eyes "Just because it's at the beginning of the alphabet, it thinks it's _so _much better than the other letters! Well, it's only second in my name!"

"Who exactly is Gajeel-Kun to you?" Juvia asked.

"My dragon guardian" Levy answered "I found him two years ago. I'm kind of beginning to regret that choice, though" she giggled.

"I for one am wishing he'd crawl back into whatever hole he crawled out of," Natsu growled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gajeel spat.

"It means you're a freak of nature!" Natsu retorted.

"Gajeel!" Levy took out what looked like a perfume bottle and sprayed a liquid a Gajeel "Bad, bad! Heel!"

Gajeel cringed, backing off "Yes, ma'am"

"What's _in _that perfume bottle?" Gray asked, amazed.

"Water. You see, I read in a book that if your cat misbehaves, you're supposed to spray them with water" Levy answered "So I filled up an old bottle of perfume and I use it on Gajeel when he misbehaves"

"Oh, let me try!" Lucy exclaimed, taking the bottle from Levy. "Heel!" She exclaimed, spraying Natsu with the water. He tried to wipe the water off his face, but ended up on his knees in the process.

"That's amazing! Gimme, gimme!" Gray exclaimed, grabbed the bottle, and then smirked as he turned to Kōri.

"Don't you dare—!" Kōri started.

"Heel!" Gray exclaimed, spraying it in her face. She let out a squeak of surprised, jumping backwards while trying to get the water off her face.

"Like dogs," Lucy whispered.

"They'll do whatever we want if we have this," Gray said, then ordered, "Kōri, lay your head down on my lap"

"No fucking way—" Kōri started.

"Kōri!" Gray snapped, spraying her with the water.

"Ok, ok, fine!" Kōri exclaimed, sitting next to him on the sofa and laying her head down on his lap "Jesus! Just keep the water away from me"

"Ha! They are like dogs," Gray laughed, petting Kōri on the head like she was a dog "A whittle Puppy-Chan!"

"Oh, shut up" Kōri grumbled.

"You know," Natsu said, eyes wide "I wonder about your relationship, sometimes"

"I think they're being stupid and immature," Juvia grunted.

"Honestly, Ju-Chan? I love you and all, but you're being childish" Kōri said "We sleep in the same bed sometimes, I think me laying my head in his lap means absolutely less than nothing"

"_I knew it!_" Juvia exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Gray and Kōri "You and Gray-Sama are in a secret relationship!"

"Ew! That's disgusting!" Kōri and Gray exclaimed in unison. Gray, however, didn't stop petting Kōri on the head like she was a puppy.

"You admitted to sleeping with him!" Juvia snapped.

"In the same bed, yeah" Gray said "But we didn't do the . . . the . . . the you-know-what. We're just friends"

"Like you can be friends with a girl like that" Natsu scoffed.

"So you think she's pretty?" Lucy crossed her arms.

"You know what? Yeah, I do. I think she's hot" Natsu spat "But at least I don't kiss her while you and a billion other people are watching!"

"Oh, grow _up! _That was for show! We told you about this before hand, you have no right to get mad about it!" Lucy snapped.

The whole room had erupted into chaos, with someone yelling at someone or another. Erza, Levy, and Gajeel exchanged a glance. Was royal life really _this_ dramatic, or did they make it dramatic on purpose?

"Hey!" Erza gave a loud whistle, causing them all to freeze "I don't mean to be rude, but could you possibly scream at each other some other time? We have something very important to plan. Something like, oh I don't know, catching a murderous terrorist?"

(°◇°人°◇°) (●´∀｀●)

It's a funny thing how light is like a gas, but darkness is like a liquid. Darkness can stick to a substance; it can cover portions of everything and everything. In some situations, one can literally feel the darkness on you, feel it surround you, until you are breathing it. Alive, yet practically drowning in the pressure, with the unnatural fear of having no sight, having no idea of your surroundings. You try to remember what's there in the dark is there in the light, but reason isn't with you in the dark. In darkness, there is only fear, and hope that nothing will happen until the light comes.

The dark was like liquid that night. Sticking to their skin like tar, like ink, as they waited. A figure was walking to the Niigata Household, striking a match, igniting a flame through the darkness. The blonde girl, the boy with ebony hair, and the girl with blue locks smirked to themselves through the darkness.

"Knight Captain Laxus" Lucy Heartfilia called, walking towards him, stepping into the light of the moon. She was dressed in some of her best attire, a crown perched on her head. As if she had prepared herself to meet him that night.

"Princess!" Laxus exclaimed, shaking the fire off his match.

"Don't 'princess' me, we know what you're doing" Lucy crossed her arms.

"'We'?" Laxus asked.

"We," Gray Fullbuster said, stepping forward. Levanna McGarden, the noblewoman who preferred the nickname 'Levy' to her real name, walked alongside him, hands on her hips.

"This—This isn't what it looks like!" Laxus exclaimed.

Three figures jumped down from the building tops, with the speed of a hummingbird and the agility of a cat. There was Kōri Hiryū, the only female of the three, the Ice Dragon. There was a pink-haired boy, Natsu Dragneel, the Fire Dragon. Lastly, there was the metal-clad man, Gajeel Redfox, the Iron Dragon. Laxus's eyes widened, he must have been warned about the danger of dragons.

"Natsu," Lucy said, holding up her wrist to show the glowing mark.

"Kōri," Gray said, unbuttoning his shirt to show the mark on his front shoulder blade.

"Gajeel," Levy rolled up her sleeve, the mark of the star glowing on her arm.

"Defeat Laxus, but do not kill him" the three masters said in unison "That is an order"

Fire erupted from Natsu's hands, and Gajeel's entire right arm turned to metal. Kōri went into her stance, creating her signature ice sword. Laxus's breathing slowed when he saw Kōri's weapon, as he took rapid, shallow breaths.

"You killed Knightwalker," Laxus breathed, "She found stabbed by a sword made of ice, I . . . I didn't think it would be the work of a dragon . . . that it was _really _a sword of ice"

"You should know about Knightwalker," Kōri growled, then charged with her sword raised "_since you're her replacement!_"

She lashed out her sword, but Laxus caught it with his blade. His eyes full of worry he said, "You don't understand!"

"It seems crystal clear to me," Natsu snapped, lashing out at Laxus with fists of flames. Laxus ducked, dodging both punches, then lashing out with his foot. Natsu fell to his face, getting a face full of some very painful dirt.

Kōri leapt over Natsu's body, shouting "Gajeel, back me up!"

"I'm on it!" Gajeel yelled, running behind her. Both dragons were lashing out their weapons—a combination of metal and ice, like frozen iron—at Laxus. Laxus kept up a pretty good fight, catching both their weapons with his own sword. Until while Kōri distracted him with her sword, Gajeel lashed out his iron arm and punched him, right in the gut.

The force of the iron caused Laxus to tumble backwards, slamming into the brick wall. Kōri's weapon turned into a billion glasslike pieces, flying away like dandelion seeds. Gajeel's arm returned to its normal form; Natsu jumped of the ground exclaiming that he did 75% of the work.

"Who are you working for?" Lucy asked.

"You don't understand," Laxus got to his feet, a hand clutching his stomach, staggering from the blow "I'm not really with the Terrorist, I'm a double-agent. A spy. I really am on your side"

"Oh, that's rich" Natsu crossed his arms "We found the fire's plans, Laxus. And we know you beat up Damian because he saw you planning them, and you got a letter from that 'A' person"

Laxus sighed, then pulled a note out of his pocket "I needed to earn their trust, I said I'd do anything to prove myself. So A and the Master sent me this". He handed the note to Lucy.

"'_To L. Dreyar,_'" Lucy read "'_It has come to our notice that a servant in the Heartfilia palace has told a royal you were planning the fires. He knows too much, you are to scare Damian Miyagi back into his place. __Best regards from the Master, and thank you for your cooperation. We shall work as one to rid this world of the unnecessary, the unwanted, and the sinful. ~A_'. Natsu, does the handwriting match?"

Natsu took out the note, overlooking the two letter "Well, maybe, I guess they do look alike—"

"They look exact," Levy said, snatching the two notes from his hands "I've studied books and language all my life. Nobody could have made a forge this perfect, even the signature is exactly the same. I know it's just an 'A', but that's a really special-looking 'A'"

"Ok, fine, whatever, the notes aren't forged" Gajeel rolled his eyes "But if you ask me, that doesn't prove shit. What else to you got?"

"Think about it. The terrorist cult are completely dedicated to their cause," Laxus said "If I were too, wouldn't I have set the house on fire as soon as I saw you? Wouldn't I have attacked right way? Wouldn't I have put up for of a brutal fight against the dragons I'm supposed to be killing on the spot?"

"Killing dragons on the spot?" Kōri asked, "That's new"

"I have so much information to tell you," Laxus said, "If you would just listen"

Lucy sighed, "Why don't we discuss this over tea tomorrow? Be much better than this creepy old alley"

(＾○＾)オ(＾▽＾)ハ(＾０＾)ツ～

"You all know my backstory, the note," Laxus said "I will give you some more information. The Master, as it seems, has a new obsession with dragons. We were all ordered to kill anyone we suspected to be a dragon in disguise on sight, no matter who they were"

"Sounds pretty brutal," Erza said, taking a sip of tea.

"It is. Countless people have died, out of suspicions of being a dragon. Bodies are taken in for cleansings, and nobody hardly ever notices a missing pheasant anymore" Laxus said, "They call themselves the _Seinaru Shimo_, the Holy Servants. They are obsessed with their cause, to cleanse the world of sin"

"Do you have any idea who the other members are?" Lucy asked.

"No, we communicate through letters. Only the Master and A know our full names. We are to only use the first initial of our first name when writing to each other," Laxus said "I have never seen any of them in person. They all have bizarre names for A and the Master. The most popular being the Holy Spirit and the Holy Guidance"

"That's what I'm confused about," Kōri said "Who exactly _is_ A?"

"Like I said, I don't know. I've never met him" Laxus said "But I know him by reputation. A is the Master's eyes, ears, and voice. While the Master is the one making the real decisions, A is the one turning them into reality. My suspicion is that the Master is just a make-believe political figure, and that there's just A"

"So A is the true Mastermind?" Levy asked.

"That's what it seems like," Laxus said "But A swears he's doing everything in the name of the Holy Guidance. They call A the 'Holy Spirit' because he is like a spirit. Which is to say, he is practically everywhere at once. Nothing happens in politics or castle life without him hearing about it first, that includes the death of the great General Scarlet's twin sister, a servant knowing of his plans, someone wanting to follow the Master's guidance"

"If he's got eyes everywhere," Natsu raised an eyebrow "Aren't you worried that he's seeing us right now?"

"No. Because, firstly, I know he trusts me" Laxus said "And, secondly, he doesn't watch Princess Lucy or Prince Gray, not even Levanna-Sama. A and the Master believe that Nobles and Royals are human idols, not to be considered as humans, and not worth their time"

"Ouch" Juvia cringed "Juvia thinks that is very offensive"

"I know," Laxus said, "Anyway, I think I might be able to get more information in time. I mean; it's obvious they aren't working towards a world free of sin. Then they wouldn't be killing and burning down houses"

"I agree," Erza nodded "We should plan"

In the span of five minutes, the room had already cleared out. Laxus and Erza left to strategize, Levy wanted to go to the library, Kōri and Gajeel left to God-knows-what bar, Gray and Juvia went to do God-knows-what. It left Natsu and Lucy alone in her bedroom.

Lucy sighed "I know you're mad, Natsu. But I don't understand why. I told you this before; we're going to have to put on a show for the public. Why are you getting so pissed off about it?"

"Ok, fine, I'll tell you the truth" Natsu snapped, "The truth is, I thought I could take seeing you two act like you're in love, but I can't. I'm a selfish bastard, and I want you all for myself. I _need_ you all for myself, and seeing him kiss you makes me get all angry and weird and berserk and weird and mad and weird and—"

"Natsu, Natsu, I get it" Lucy laughed, taking her face in her hands and pressing her forehead to his "You're a weirdo. But you're my weirdo". She leaned in and planted a kiss on his lips, wrapping her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her back, holding her close. Yes, he was selfish, and he couldn't share what was his. But as long as he got moments like this, then maybe, just _maybe_, he'd be ok with it.

"Hey, Lucy-Dono, do you want more cookies—?" Damian asked, entering the room. He paused and as the two broke apart, unmoving, doing nothing but stare at him.

"You know what?" Damian sighed, turning around as he closed the door "I'm actually _used_ to it by now"

(〃￣д￣)八( ￣д￣ )八(￣д￣〃)

The next day, Kōri and Juvia were walking down the streets of Magnolia. The sun shone, birds sang. It was like it used to be, hanging out and having fun. Talking about things that were unimportant yet seemed to matter the world to them.

Then something completely out of the blue had to come and screw it up.

"There she is!" a guard exclaimed running towards them. Kōri, for one, had been used to someone screaming those words and running towards her. So her first reaction was to panic.

"Whoa!" Kōri yelled; grabbing the nearest thing (a broom) and holding it out like a weapon. The second a guard got so much as a foot close to her, her or she got a face full of broom.

That was all well and good, until a the Co-Captain grabbed the broom from Kōri's hands. What was she supposed to do? Magic wasn't an option, since she was "laying low", and it wasn't like she could punch him. He was an important official in a kingdom she was only visiting, who's king she was currently staying in the house of. Her second reactions, however, was look tough and scare the shit out of them.

"What the hell do you want?" Kōri growled.

The Co-Captain seemed uninterested in Kōri (though he did seem frightened of her). He reached forward, yanked Juvia forward by her arms and chained her hands together.

"Juvia Lockser" the guard said, "You are hereby under arrest"

ヽ(○´∀)乂(*´∀`*）乂(∀`●)

_**Oh dear God. They arrested Juvia, but for what? On the up side, NaLu is officially back on, full power. Though the use of 'Damian-walks-in-on-them' jokes will be less frequent, since now he said he's used to it. **_

_**Challenge Q: Why do you think Juvia was arrested? Answers in reviews, reasoning behind it would be appreciated. **_

_**Like it, love it, hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja**_


	15. Celebrities And Secrets Dont Go Together

_**Ok, I'm not gonna say much. You're probably all thinking 'Juvia got arrested? What the fuck?' So I won't delay. I don't own Fairy Tail. Here we go-zers!**_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Fifth teen ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * Celebrities And Secrets Don't Go Together ~ * ~ ***_

"Juvia Lockser, you are under arrest." The Co-Captain said.

"What the hell? What did she do to get arrested?" Kōri spat, grabbing Juvia by the arm, as if refusing to let her leave.

"For the murder of Erza Knightwalker, witchcraft, and treason against the mighty empire of Fiore" the captain continued, basically as if Kōri had said absolutely nothing at all.

"Witchcraft?" Kōri asked, "Where's your proof—?"

In a flash, Juvia had jerked her arms away, the water erupting from wells, buckets, and barrels. Even things that only had water in them, like alcohol and mud, flew up under Juvia's control. The water fasted around her hands like a whip, slashing the metal handcuffs to pieces.

"Water Whip!" Juvia exclaimed, lashing out at the knights. They flew backwards from the force of the blow, slamming into the walls of houses. One poor soul fell down the now half-empty well.

"Juvia! Juvia, stop it!" Kōri exclaimed "You're just proving it to them that you're a witch! _Stop it_!"

Juvia didn't listen to her; she created spears out of water shooting them at any knight who came close. She molded it into her infamous whip, lashing it out at the Co-Captain. The whip tightened around the Co-Captain's chest, slinging him around and slamming him on the ground like a broken toy.

"Stop it!" Kōri shouted.

Juvia turned to look at Kōri, letting her guard down for a small second. Just as an arrow flew from the masses of knights, piercing Juvia in the chest, right below her heart. Her eyes widened, her mouth in a small, yet perfect 'o'. Her eyes were fluttering between open and closed, and she collapsed onto the cobblestones.

"Juvia!" Kōri exclaimed, running over to Juvia. She grabbed the arrow, ripped it out with one swift yank, ripping off her sleeve and wrapping it around Juvia's wound.

"K-Kōri-Sempai . . ." Juvia whispered, gripping her arm, digging her nails into Kōri's skin "Please . . . don't let them . . . take me . . . away . . . Gray-Sama . . ."

"Juvia, everything's going to be ok, I promise" Kōri whispered, as the Co-Captain, soaking wet, grabbing her by the arms and hauled her away from Juvia. Of course, Kōri wouldn't go down without a fight. She kicked and screamed, thrashing out and trying to get to Juvia.

"Let me go! My friend is wounded! You can't take her to prison when she's barley alive!" Kōri screeched, then turned on her heels and punched the Co-Captain, right in the face.

The Co-Captain fell to the ground, whipping blood off his nose "That girl's crazy! Arrest her!"

Before she could even react, five guards had grabbed her by the arms, hauling her away. Kōri continued to kick and scream, lashing out, trying to get away. Juvia was wounded; she was too weak to live in prison! And Kōri couldn't let Juvia get arrested for something she did.

"Juvia!" Kōri shouted, "Let me go! _Let me go!_"

As they proceeded to drag her to the prisons, while Juvia had a meeting with the king, Kōri proceeded to shout protests. She tried to break loose, but it was no use. Gray had ordered her to lay low, and one girl defeating five well-built guards did look suspicious. She couldn't disobey her Master, but she couldn't let them take the girl her Master loved!

"Juvia!" Kōri screeched "Juvia!" Tears began to glisten in her eyes, the very color of ice, glistening and reflecting the colors of the rainbow. The tears began to spill down her cheeks, like rain when it's drizzling. She felt so useless, so awful, and she hated herself more than anything.

"_Juvia!_"

(〃￣д￣)八( ￣д￣ )八(￣д￣〃)

"Kōri!" Gray exclaimed, running into her cell. She stood up from her place on the floor, and as soon as she did so, Gray threw his arms around her shoulder and hugged her tightly.

"I'm so glad you're ok," Gray said.

"Don't worry about me," Kōri returned the hug, then placed her hands on his shoulders, holding him at a distance and looking him in the eye "We have a more serious problem. They've arrested Juvia"

"Arrested her? For doing what?" Gray asked.

"Witchcraft and . . . and for murdering Knightwalker" Kōri sighed, "Gray, I'm sorry. As soon as they said that, I should have told them that _I'm _the one who killed Knightwalker—"

"Kōri, don't _ever_ do that" Gray snapped, grabbing her by the shoulder. He pulled down the collar of his shirt, showing the mark of the star in side the circle "Kōri Hiryū, I _order _you to never tell anyone that you killed Erza Knightwalker. Do you understand?"

Kōri hesitated, then nodded as her mark flashed with light "I understand, Master"

"Is Juvia in the prisons?" Gray asked.

"She may be right now, but before she had a meeting with the King" Kōri said "Otherwise, I have no idea"

"Ah. Come on, I got you out of this hellhole with my princely charms," Gray smirked.

"I think you got me out of this hellhole with your bags of gold," Kōri rolled her eyes "and the fact that you're engaged to the princess"

"You can't let me dream for one minute, can't you?" Gray gave a look of false sadness, a hand clutching his heart, and then he shook his head "Honestly, take my hopes and crush them"

Kōri rolled her eyes, laughed, and followed Gray down the halls of the prisons. The cells for all the prisons ran underground, right under the palace. Most of the cells were unoccupied, ever since the Fiore Wildfire, criminals had just "given up", as Lucy had said. They all knew that no matter what they did, it would never beat the evil of the terrorist who started all those fires.

"Juvia!" Gray exclaimed when he saw her cell. Juvia jumped at the sound of his voice, turning and running to the bars of the cell. She stuck her hand through the bars of the cell, grabbing Gray's hand.

"Gray-Sama," Juvia's eyes filled up with tears "You . . . you came for me . . ."

"This is unacceptable!" a voice boomed "You arrested a girl without alerting me first? I demand that you release her!"

Kōri and Gray exchanged a glance, Kōri following the voice to the Co-Captain's office, leaving Gray behind with Juvia. She peered into the office, seeing the Co-Captain cringe in fear, and a man in armor. He had his back turned to her, but Kōri recognized that spikey blonde hair and muscles the size of her very head.

"K-Knight Captain L-Laxus," the Co-Captain spluttered "J-Jude-Dono o-ordered m-me to arrest M-Miss L-Lockser. He s-said you'd b-been s-seen w-with her s-so much h-he knew y-you wouldn't r-really a-arrest her s-so he s-sent m-me"

"You don't answer to the king, Freed, you answer to me!" Laxus snapped, "I don't give a damn about what the king says! If I say to release her, you—!"

"No!" Freed snapped, standing up "With all due respect, Captain Laxus, that girl is a witch and a murderer! I will not let that danger to humanity walk the streets! I will follow the kings orders and keep her locked behind bars!" Freed took in a few deep breaths, then seemed to realize that he snapped at Laxus, and began to plead for mercy.

"In case you haven't forgotten, Freed," Laxus growled through gritted teeth "everyone is innocent until proven guilty". He turned on his heels, walking out of his office. He ran into Kōri, and shook his head with disappointment.

"I'm sorry, I tried to get him to release Juvia," Laxus said "But he's set on keeping her. Until after her trial, that is"

"You did better than I did," Kōri scoffed.

"Nobody could have helped it, Freed just went complete bastard," Laxus growled.

"He's only doing his job," Kōri reminded him "The king comes first, after all. Laxus-San, Freed looks up to you like a hero. Don't call him a bastard, I mean, that would totally break his heart"

"Yeah, yeah, I know" Laxus rolled his eyes "Let's just all pray that the judge is a good, fair man. And that those court morons know the real difference between guilty and innocent.

ヽ(´Д｀)人(´Д｀)人(´Д｀)ノ

They were intertwined with each other, her arms around his neck, his hands at her waists. She had just came back from her reading classes with Samuel, and had practically thrown herself at him when they reached her room.

Natsu held Lucy close, breathing in her scent, her lips fastened to his. His fingers intertwined in her hair, her arms wrapped around his neck, almost as if refusing to let go. He didn't exactly want to let go of her, either. Sometimes he wished that moments like these could last forever.

Natsu heard the door open, his eyes darting to the door, yet he didn't stop kissing Lucy. Damian sighed as he walked in, shaking his head, holding a tray of tea, cookies, and some very delicious looking muffins.

"Not this again," Damian muttered, setting the tray on the coffee table. Ignoring them completely, he fixed the bed sheets they completely messed up while they were still on the bed, fluffed up the pillows, and gave a respectful bow.

Lucy broke away for a moment to give Damian a look of utter confusion "You're not surprised?"

"No," Damian said "And since I'm used to it now, are you going to stop trying to gnaw each others' face off whenever I try to politely enter a room?"

Natsu smirked "Does this answer your question?". He leaned forward, quickly kissing Lucy on the lips. Of course, she couldn't just have him kiss her without giving him a kiss back. So that started up a whole new kissing fest.

Damian shook his head, muttering to himself "'Course it's a real relationship, with my luck. It couldn't have been a joke just to annoy me, oh _no_! It had to be real. Now if they get caught, my head gets chopped off, too, because knowing me, I'll feel guilty and start squealing"

He started muttering other stuff, but walked out the door before Natsu could hear any more of it. He had his hands cupping Lucy's face, almost holding her neck, but gently, tenderly. The last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt her.

Just then, there was a knock on the door "Lucy? It's papa, can I come in?"

Lucy and Natsu jumped apart, Lucy scrambling to the sofa to look like she was enjoying her teatime (and she very well was before), while Natsu leaned back on the bed, trying to look as bored and uninterested with everything as he so usually did.

"Yes, papa, you can come in" Lucy said, taking a rather dramatic sip of tea. King Jude walked in, giving his normal glance of pure hatred at Natsu.

"Mr. Dragneel," King Jude said through gritted teeth. If he didn't know any better, Natsu would've thought King Jude knew about Lucy's affair with him. He looked at Natsu like a father would to his daughter's boyfriend; one he didn't like in the least bit.

"Your highness," Natsu smirked, giving the king of Fiore a mocking army solute. King Jude looked like he was trying very hard not to punch Natsu in the face, a vein popping in his forehead, his fists clenched.

"Lucy, I have exciting news" King Jude smiled, taking a seat next to Lucy, putting on a happy face for his only daughter "There is a trial going on tomorrow, and I would very much like for you to attend. It will be your courthouse meeting! You can watch the trial and maybe you'll even help me judge it"

"Really? You're finally going to let me watch a trial?" Lucy's eyes lit up, throwing her arms around her father's neck "Thank you, Papa!".

Natsu scoffed, smiled, and rolled her eyes. Lucy often complained about only getting to read about passing trials; though the idea of law and order bored her, seeing a trial live was something she always wanted to see in person. And thinking of her father as the fair, law-passing judge gave him a hero image that he really needed from her.

"Who's getting sued?" Natsu asked.

King Jude glared at him "A woman was arrested, and Knight Captain Laxus demands she gets a fair trial. If he wasn't Knight Captain I would have had her banished on the spot. We have more than enough proof that she is a witch, one who killed Erza Knightwalker"

Natsu's eyes widened as he and Lucy exchanged a glance of utter fear and worry. _Witch . . . killed Erza Knightwalker? _Was he talking about Kōri? Sure, if caught, there was a lot of proof to link her to Knightwalker's murder. But the thought of Kōri getting arrested was as preposterous as the King getting sent to the stocks.

"What is this woman's name?" Lucy asked.

"Um . . . Juvia, Juvia Lockser" King Jude said, taking a sip of tea. Natsu's mouth fell open; Lucy's eyes were the size of dinner plates.

"Juvia?" Lucy exclaimed, "Juvia would never murder someone! You have no proof that she did anything, you can't just go around accusing people of being witches!"

"Lucy!" King Jude snapped "I invite you to view a trial with me, and _this_ is how you act? She attacked the guards with magic, water magic. And you know what water turns into? Ice. And what was the sword Knightwalker was murdered with made out of? Ice. If you ask me, or anyone in court, that is more than enough proof! This Lockser woman is a dead woman walking"

"No! Daddy, you can't kill her, please!" Lucy cried, tears spilling down her cheeks "Don't kill Juvia! She's my friend, please—!"

"I'm sorry, Daughter," King Jude said "But I am very convinced that your 'friend' is a murderer. Good night, Lucy. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning for the trial"

King Jude got to his feet, and then strode out the door, slamming it behind him. Natsu jumped off the bed, holding out his arms. Lucy ran into them, tears streaming down her cheeks, burying her face into Natsu's jacket. He held her close, patting her hair and rubbing her back.

"This . . . this isn't fair . . . " Lucy sobbed.

Natsu bit his lip. In a time like this, when a close friend of theirs was so close to death, he didn't know what to say. He didn't feel too good about it either, you know. But he couldn't cry. He had to stay strong, only so Lucy could feel strong too. In moments like these, there was hardly ever a time when he didn't know what to say. But he was officially, pathetically, speechless.

"I know, Lucy," Natsu whispered.

_I know. _

（*＾＾）/~~~~~~~~~~◎（。_° ＼(- – )

_**Ok, so how many of you were like 'wait . . . what?' when Juvia was charged for witchcraft rather than for having an affair with Gray? I mean, maybe that's better, in a way. If she was charged for having an affair she wouldn't even get a trail, she'd be banished (or even killed) on the spot. **_

_**So, challenge Q: do you think Juvia will be proven guilty or innocent? Answers in the reviews, reasoning behind your answer will be appreciated. **_

_**Like it, love it, hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja**_


	16. Justice Isn't Always Fairness

_**Thanks for all the support, you guys. By the way, in this fanfiction, Gray doesn't do Ice Magic, Kōri does. That's why he needs her protection, same for Natsu and Lucy, and Levy and Gajeel. Dragons have magic, people don't. Always remember that rule: dragons equal magic, humans usually no, minus some exceptions like Rain Women.**_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail. On we go!**_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Sixteen ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * Justice Isn't Always Fairness ~ * ~ * **_

Natsu hesitated as he entered the courtroom, the horrible dry smell of dirty water, of bodies crumbling to dust, filled the room, drafting in by the nearby prison cells. He walked by the cells, peering in, trying to see the familiar shade of dark blue that was Juvia's hair.

"Juvia?" Natsu called "Juvia, are you in he—?"

Natsu let out a cry of surprise as a hand jutted out of the cell bars, clutching his ankle. He turned, seeing a man's face. The man was covered in blood, bruises, dirt, and grime. His teeth were the color of moss, his eyes beady, and ringed with dark, all from being trapped in the darkness for so long.

"Help me, please, I'm _innocent!_" the man exclaimed, "Please, please, they set me up! _Sanctus Nesciens Remissionem_! I didn't want to do it anymore! Please, help me, Great Dragon, help m—!"

"Get back!" Natsu saw Freed come from the darkness, waving a lantern in the man's face. He screeched in pain, toppling backwards, scrambling into the darkness with his hands over his eyes.

"Poor thing," Freed shook his head, clicking his tongue in disappointment. "After so long in complete darkness, they can't take the light anymore. It completely crushes the prisoners' mind, I'm so sorry if they attacked you"

"It's alright," Natsu said, taking in deep, shallow breaths "You know, it's . . . it's fine"

Freed nodded, then raised an eyebrow "What was it he said to you? 'Help me, Great Dragon'? What the hell does that mean?"

Natsu shrugged "I don't know. It's like you said, they're not thinking straight"

"Right" Freed's eyes held suspicion.

"You _did say _that they're not right in the head," Natsu was trying his hardest not to smirk as he masked his face with a look of surprise "Unless . . . you're not keeping something from me, are you? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"No, Natsu-San," Freed gave a small bow. Freed was Co-Captain, given service to the royal family. Lucy had it that everyone looked at Natsu like an equal to the royal family, so he usually got all the respect that Lucy got. Natsu did enjoy that very, very much.

"Wonderful," Natsu smirked "I'm glad we're on the same page"

"Natsu!" Lucy yelled "Get over here; the trial is about to start!"

"Coming!" Natsu responded, then patted Freed on the shoulder "Glad we had this talk, Freed"

"Likewise," Freed said, but he didn't return the smile Natsu gave him. Natsu turned, walking into the courtroom. Lucy gestured to the seat next to her, where Natsu sat. There were three stands: a place for an audience, a place for the jury, and a pace for royalty. Half of the royalty booth was for King Jude, Lucy, and Natsu (just for protection). The other half, the much longer half, was for Queen Ur, Lyon, Ultear, Gray, and Kōri (also for protection).

Lucy reached under the arms of the chair, grasping Natsu's hand. He squeezed it in return, practically holding his breath. They brought Juvia out in chains, setting her in front of King Jude and Queen Ur, chaining her to the floor.

Queen Ur's gaze was full of sympathy, as if she really did believe that Juvia was innocent. King Jude's gaze was full of hatred; but Natsu already knew what King Jude thought of Juvia.

"Juvia Lockser, of the nation of Ōkoku," King Jude said, "You have been trialed with treason, witchcraft, and murder. Do you plead guilty or innocent?"

"J-Juvia please i-innocent . . . " Juvia spluttered, trying to shield herself with the shackles around her arms.

"Very well, on to the trial," King Jude said. In Fiore trials, King Jude and Queen Ur acted as the defendant, the prosecution, and the judge. The only thing they weren't was the jury.

"Co-Captain Freed Justine says you attacked him and his soldiers with water, using a form of the rumored 'Water Magic' or 'Rain Magic'" King Jude said "Witchcraft itself is illegal, but there is a more important crime at hand. I believe we all know what happens to water when it freezes. Do you, Miss Lockser, know what happens when water freezes?"

"I-It becomes ice" Juvia stuttered.

"Does that not make ice a property of water?" King Jude asked.

"Y-yes" Juvia said.

"Do you know what Miss Knightwalker was murdered with?"

"A . . . a sword?"

"Made of what, exactly?"

"Uh . . . Um . . . m-metal?"

"No, Miss Lockser. Ice. The sword was made of _ice_"

"W-wouldn't it m-melt if it w-was m-made of ice, Sire? B-By the body heat of the killer and from the impact into Miss Knightwalker? And if she w-was k-killed in the n-night the ice w-would m-melt by m-morning . . ."

"I know what happens when ice is left to heat, Miss Lockser," King Jude raised an eyebrow "But this sword was different. According to experts _and_ the church, this sword was a product of magic. Experts _also_ say that Water Magic can produce things such as ice, and that those who practice this magic can freeze and heat water"

"What experts are you going to?" Natsu snapped, standing up. He couldn't take this nonsense anymore "Ice and water are two different things! And even if she could freeze water, her magic wouldn't allow her to make a sword out of it! Water Magic making ice weapons is the stupidest thing I've ever heard someone say!"

King Jude gave him a look of complete hatred "And how, pray tell, do you know that for certain?"

Natsu paused, gripping the railing. He glanced to Lucy, who shook her head quickly. Gray had grabbed Kōri by the shoulder, forcing her to stay seated. But the look in her eyes said she really wanted to say something, to scream and admit that she was the one that killed Knightwalker. Natsu himself wanted to snap that he did magic, that he played a part in Knightwalker's murder.

Lucy mouthed 'I order you not to give away any information that would get you arrested'. He pulled down his sleeve to hide the glow of his mark, as he swallowed and looked to the king.

"I don't, Sire," Natsu said, taking a seat "It was only a very educated guess"

"_Educated guesses _are nothing compared to facts," King Jude said.

"You don't have any proof!" Kōri snapped, standing up, ignoring the look o horror on Gray's face "You have nothing linking her to the crime! Where was she the day of the crime? The only proof you have is that she can possibly make the weapon that killed her!"

King Jude's eyes widened, Queen Ur gave a small smile, as if she was waiting for someone to say that. King Jude looked to Juvia, then asked "Miss Lockser, where were you the day of the crime?"

"W-with Gray-S—Gray-Dono" Juvia answered, "He w-was s-showing me a-around town"

"Gray, darling," Queen Ur said, turning to her youngest son "Is that true?"

"It is, mother," Gray said.

"You have nothing to link her to the scene of the crime," Natsu smirked.

"The jury will reach their verdict," King Jude said "Let's . . . let's all take a recess"

The room began to clear out leaving only Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Kōri, Levy, Gajeel, Erza, and Laxus. Juvia, of course was still chained to the ground. Gray literally jumped over the stand's railing to get to Juvia, grabbing her hands and clutching them to his chest.

"Juvia, are you ok?" Gray asked.

"Juvia . . . Juvia is scared . . ." Juvia whispered tears forming in her blue eyes "Juvia does not want to die, Juvia does not want to leave her Gray-Sama!"

"It'll be alright," Gray said, giving her a tight hug. The chains rattled as she clutched onto Gray's jacket, sobbing onto his shoulder. He smoothened her hair, kissing the top of her head.

"This is all my fault," Kōri squeezed her eyes shut, small tears forming in her eyes, like droplets of rain "I never should have killed her. It's caused nothing but trouble"

"Don't beat yourself up about it," Laxus said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder "How were you supposed to know that this would happen? You were trying to do the right thing"

"But it didn't fix anything," Kōri sniffled, she wasn't quite crying, there were only a few tears "It just made everything worse!"

"Kōri, Juvia, calm down," Erza said, "Everything will be alright. You made a very vital point, Kōri. Nothing King Jude said could link Juvia to the scene of the crime. She will come out innocent, I promise"

"I agree with Erza," Natsu said "There's too many holes in King Jude's story. Why would you want Knightwalker dead? Did you even _know_ Knightwalker? If you _can_ freeze water, can you make weapons out of it? And you have an alibi to the day of the crime. There's hardly any evidence that you did anything at all"

"One thing I'm confused about is how they knew Juvia can do magic," Levy said "They came up to her and arrested her for witchcraft, and _then_ she attacked them with magic? How did they know she's a mage?"

"Yeah, that's right" Gajeel said, "Who would tell Freed that she's a mage? I thought we were the only ones who knew. I mean, it's not like any of us want Juvia to get arrested, right?"

"A . . ." Laxus muttered, then looked up "It was A, I swear. He sees everything, if Juvia ever did magic, he would most likely see it. Juvia, is magic something you do on an every day basis?"

"J-Juvia isn't sure," Juvia said, not leaving Gray's arms "S-sometimes Juvia accidentally makes it rain, or will get bored and play with water. But she only does magic when she knows that no one is watching her"

"That clears it," Laxus said "A. He either went to Freed in person or sent him a note that told him. But, then again, that leads us to another puzzle: why would A want Juvia arrested?"

"Why not get Kōri and I arrested, then?" Natsu asked, "Kōri and I do magic all the time, just this month I've done more magic then I've ever done before. A could have gotten rid of us a long time ago"

"I—" Laxus started, but was interrupted when people began to pour into the room once more. King Jude announced that the trail was back on, making everyone return to their seats.

"Has the jury reached their verdict?" King Jude asked.

"We have, Sire," a woman with long light brown hair and dark brown eyes behind glasses "Due to lack of evidence, the jury has decided that Juvia Lockser is not guilty, in terms of the murder of Erza Knightwalker"

Natsu let out a sigh of relief, giving Lucy's hand a squeeze under the arms of the chair. She gave him a small smile, her eyes lighting up in joy.

"However," the woman continued "The jury does plead Juvia Lockser guilty of witchcraft, a crime against the law and the church. Therefore, she will not face death as her punishment"

Natsu and Lucy exchanged a glance, Lucy gripping onto his arm in horror. Juvia's eyes were wide, practically holding her breath, waiting to hear her decided fate.

"Juvia Lockser, you are hereby banished from the mighty kingdom of Fiore"

(〃⌒▽⌒)八(〃⌒▽⌒〃)八(⌒▽⌒〃)

_**Huh, I only used one group of emoticons in this chapter . . . I didn't think that was possible for me . . . **_

_**So, challenge Q: why would A want Juvia arrested, and not Natsu and Kōri? Answers in reviews, reasoning behind it would be appreciated! **_

_**Like it, love it, hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja**_


	17. Love Is A Man's Worst Crime

_**Hey, guys! This story almost has 200 reviews . . . I'M SO HAPPY! Thanks you! You people are so awesome, I could cry. :')**_

_**I do have one thing to say. My friend, Purplecookieninja, just came out with a story. It's called 'Fire's Passion'; it's NaLu. I read it; I think its awesome, go check it out if you want. **_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail, on with the story! **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Seventeen ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * Love Is A Man's Worst Crime ~ * ~ ***_

"Juvia Lockser, you are hereby banished from the mighty kingdom of Fiore"

As soon as those words left her mouth, a riot came to the courtroom. Natsu and Lucy were on their feet, Erza, Kōri, Gajeel, and Laxus were screaming their complaints. Levy, however, was politely saying that Juvia's punishment was in no way fair and that the damn law should be looked at twice.

"You can't do this!" Gray shouted, "You—You can't!"

"Order, Order!" King Jude exclaimed, slamming his mallet down on the podium "This my court, this is the law. The jury has reached their verdict; it is final. Gray-San," King Jude turned to Gray, raising an eyebrow "Why can't I do this, pray tell?"

"Because I love her!" Gray yelled at the top of his lungs. The entire room went quiet; Lucy's hand flew to her mouth, trying to act surprised. She blinked hard, turning as if she was trying hard not to cry, that she was totally heartbroken by this news.

He actually said it. In a courtroom full of _nobles_.

Of course, this caused uproar in the courtroom. People were shouting that this was completely outrageous—he was engaged to the princess, she was a servant, asking what kind of kingdom was King Jude running. The guards grabbed Juvia by the arms, and Kōri tackled Gray from behind, holding him back so he wouldn't run after her.

"Juvia!" Gray yelled "Juvia!"

"Gray-Sama!" Juvia screamed tears screaming down her cheeks. Natsu could hear Kōri digging her feet into the ground (quite literally), tightening her grip on Gray's arm so he wouldn't run.

"Kōri, I order you to let me go!" Gray hissed, his eyes full of hatred and desperation, even his voice sounded cruel "I _order you!_"

Kōri's eyes widened in horror, and Natsu could see her mar flash under the fabric of her shirt. She let go of Gray's arm; he literally jumped over the railing and ran to Juvia. In a single movement, fast as lighting, he took her face in his hands and kissed her, right on the mouth.

Kōri, Natsu, and Gajeel ran forward, even without being commanded, and grabbed Gray by the arms, dragging him back. He kicked and screamed, fighting like a child throwing a tantrum. Tears streamed down Juvia's face as she sobbed, screaming for somebody, anybody, to save her, to help her. Her desperation broke Natsu's heart into a million pieces.

"She's banished!" King Jude shouted, "Never let her set foot in Fiore again! Never!"

One can easily say that Juvia's heart wasn't the only one that was broken that day.

ヽ(＾▽＾)人(＾▽＾)人(＾▽＾)ﾉ

Gray took in a breath as King Jude stared him over, the young prince and the old king staring at each other. The king rested a hand on Gray's shoulder, almost angrily, then threw his head back and laughed.

"Ah ha ha ha!" King Jude laughed. Gray was confused for a moment, and then slowly started laughing with him. His eyes darted over to Kōri, who shrugged, circling her finger around her temple.

"Y-you're not mad?" Gray asked.

"Why would I be mad?" King Jude laughed "I can't tell you how many flings I had with servants when I was your age! Even as engaged men, you can't ignore such pretties faces, can we?"

Gray bit his lip, disgusted with the king as he nodded. His relationship with Juvia started before he was engaged to Lucy. He didn't just randomly fall for her because he thought she was a pretty face, this wasn't just a _fling_. But anything to keep him out of trouble.

"G-glad you understand" Gray gave a tight smile.

"Now, there was only nobles there, who all dedicate their lives to serving me" King Jude said, "They won't tell a thing. To the kingdom, you and Lucy are still a happy couple. And since that Lockser woman has been banished—"

"Banished?" Gray exclaimed "I—I thought we established this! I'm going to marry Lucy; everything is gong to be all right! You don't have to banish her!"

"Witchcraft is illegal, Gray-Dono," King Jude said through gritted teeth "_That _is why she is getting banished. She is to leave Fiore and never come back; witchcraft is a crime against the church. I will never let the unnecessary, the sinful, and the unwanted walk the streets of this mighty nation. Good day" he turned on his heels and walked out of the door, slamming the door behind him.

Gray's eyes narrowed, his fists clenched in anger. He gritted his teeth; this was completely unfair. All she did was a little bit of magic. She didn't hurt anyone who wasn't threatening her! She didn't deserve to get punished.

"Gray?" Kōri said, walking towards him.

"What?" Gray snapped. On any other basis, Kōri would have slapped him. But she knew that Gray would never snap at her if he wasn't so hurt. Slowly, and carefully, she opened up her arms for a hug.

He took the bait quickly, hugging her tightly. Kōri rubbed his back; she noticed he was trying to hold up his image, even just to her. To hide the smallest of sobs, acting as if she couldn't feel small tears stain the back of her shirt.

"I know it hurts," Kōri said "But things will get better. I promise"

Gray made a small sniffling sound, and then sat back, eyes wide "Wait a damn minute. What was it that King Jude last said to me?"

"'Good day'?" Kōri asked, raising an eyebrow, giving what could have been the shadow of a smile.

"No! Before that!" Gray rolled his eyes.

"Um . . . 'I will never let the unnecessary, the sinful, and the unwanted walk the streets of this mighty nation'?" Kōri said, then her eyes widened as she realized the king's words "Unnecessary, sinful, and unwanted? Could that be a coincidence?"

"Really, Kōri? When we're dealing with this kind of stuff, how is anything just a coincidence anymore?" Gray said "And before that, he said 'there was only nobles there, who all dedicate their lives to serving me'. Like the Holy Servants to the Holy Guidance"

"Gray, please be rational" Kōri exclaimed, "This is the king we're talking about! You're accusing your fiancée's father of terrorizing his _own_ nation! Doesn't that sound crazy to you?"

"I'm not accusing him of doing anything," Gray said, eyes narrowed "Because I _know_ he's doing something"

ヽ(´Д｀)人(´Д｀)人(´Д｀)ノ〜

The Master's laughed echoed across the office, bouncing off the walls, a laugh of pure and utter glee. The Servant, one more commonly known as A, looked up from his calculations.

"I take it you're happy, Master?" A asked.

"I'm more than happy!" the Master laughed, "I sat through that entire trial and they don't expect a thing! Who knew they were so _stupid_! Even through all of this, they're suspecting Knightwalker and Laxus!"

"About Laxus—" A started.

"Think whatever you wish, A, I know my Knight Captain isn't a traitor" the Master huffed "He's a loyal servant to the Holy cause. Whatever suspicions you have, just forget them".

A sighed "Yes, Master. But why arrest and banish Juvia Locker? She's not a dragon, nor a noble"

"She's the easiest to arrest," the Master said "Therefore, the easiest way to strike fear into their hearts. Make them sad, depressed, to put their guard

down. They don't suspect a thing"

"Why not get rid of the dragons while you're at it?" A asked.

"The dragons are yours to kill, remember?" the Master smiled "Just as I promised. Why was it you wanted to be the one to kill the dragons?"

"I hear that dragon blood tastes the best," A smiled, showing his overly pointed canines "But . . . to be honest . . . I want to find that out for myself. Easy or hard way".

＼( ^o)( ^ 0 ^ )(o^ )／

_**Awh. Poor Juvia, Ne? This is the shortest chapter I've ever written for this story (barley 6 pages on Word). Hopefully it will stay that way . . . **_

_**Ok, I've asked this question before, but I'm going to ask it again: who do you think the terrorist is NOW? Answers in the reviews, reasoning behind it would be appreciated. **_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	18. Live a Life of Suspicion

_**Hey, guys. I don't know what to say . . . besides the fact that I don't own Fairy Tail. So, I decided to make a deal for you guys. The day this story gets 100 reviews is the day I post two chapters on the same day. No joke, I make the Celestial Wizard promise! That's a promise I'll never break. ;)**_

_**Here we go!**_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Eight teen ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * Live a Life of Suspicion ~ * ~ ***_

"King Jude?" Natsu asked, spilling hot tea on his leg. Lucy's eyes darted over to him, to catch his reaction. He didn't even flinch. Of course, since he didn't feel heat, he didn't feel the heat of _pain. _

"I mean it!" Gray exclaimed "He practically admitted it! Saying that the nobles have dedicated their lives to serving him? He won't let the unnecessary, the sinful, and the unwanted walk the streets of this mighty nation? It's written all over his face, he's A! Or at least the Master!"

"Gray . . ." Lucy said "I think . . . I think you're mad at my father for arresting Juvia. I think you just want to blame him for something . . ."

"This isn't psychological!" Gray spat "I know he's A! Laxus, don't you agree with me?"

"Um . . ." Laxus muttered "A king terrorizing his own nation . . . that sounds pretty far-fetching, Gray-S—"

"You call me 'Gray-Sama', and I will rip. Your. Throat. Out." Gray growled.

"Gray-Dono" Laxus said quickly.

"You really don't want to be reminded of Juvia, don't you?" Gajeel asked, his eyes wide.

"I'm positive that this terrorist is King Jude!" Gray exclaimed "He has access to everything, he would want to cause a ruckus so he could save the day. Maybe he found out about Lucy and Natsu, and he blames the seductive powers of dragons! There's a million reasons why he would do it. And he knows everything about the royal families! Eh?"

"The seductive powers of dragons?" Natsu, Kōri and Gajeel asked in unison.

"You forgot something," Lucy said "You said the Nobles would be the holy servants? The master and A are killing Nobles and burning down Noble houses. They couldn't be the Holy Servants"

"So?" Gray snapped "So what if the Nobles aren't in it? Laxus isn't a noble and he's one of them! So was Knightwalker! The king could still do it!"

"Why arrest Juvia then?" Levy raised an eyebrow.

"She's not a Noble, royal, or dragon. She was the easiest to arrest" Gray said "A told him she was a mage, he thought he could discourage us by arresting her. The puzzle pieces are all fitting together, King Jude is the Master!"

"Gray, I think you're hurt. I think the only reason you're blaming King Jude is because he arrested Juvia" Erza said "But I do think you have a point. Let's pretend for a moment that I believe you, and that King Jude is the Master. If that's true, then who is A?"

"I don't know, I'm thinking Jellal Fernandes" Gray said "I mean, he's the king's advisor. He doesn't do anything without asking Jellal first, right? I mean, the king and his advisor is kind of the equivalent to the Master and A—"

"Jellal has an alibi" Erza snapped "The day the Conbolt residence was attacked, Jellal was with me the entire evening. And I can promise you that we weren't burning down Noble houses"

"But that doesn't mean he has an excuse for all the other burnt-down Noble houses," Gray said "Erza, face it! There's a good chance that Jellal is playing a part in this whole terrorist thing"

"You know what I think? I think you're blaming the first person you see just because your girlfriend was arrested!" Erza spat, clenching her fists "You need to grow up for once Gray. Call me for a meeting when you've _really_ discovered some _useful_ information!"

Erza shoved Gray aside, then stormed out the door, slamming the door behind her. The noise made everyone in the room flinch.

"Accusing Jellal," Kōri raised an eyebrow as she glanced at Gray "Bad idea"

"It's the truth," Gray grumbled "But she did have a point. Jellal had an alibi to that night, it means he had an alibi to all those other nights. He couldn't have just set one fire and not the others. That's not A's getup. I don't think we're any closer to finding out who A is"

"Well . . . maybe A is Jellal," Levy said "The king doesn't do anything without consulting Jellal first. Like how the Master doesn't do anything without consulting A first. The similarites . . . it just can't be a coincidence"

"Love is blind, my friends" Lucy sighed "Love is blind"

＼( ^o)( ^ 0 ^ )(o^ )／

She honestly didn't know why she liked him. He called her weird, he played pranks on her, he even treated her as if she was a boy, sometimes. It was strange, but somehow, Natsu was everything she never knew she wanted.

He caught her everytime she fell, he wiped the tears from her eyes whenever she cried. He was always there for her, he rushed to her rescue, he was always enraged when she was made sad or hurt. He was her protecting dragon, rather than her valiant knight in shining armor. But knights are overrated, anyway.

Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him full on the lips. Natsu always talked about her having a scent, was this it? He did have a certain smell to him, of ashes, of soot, of fire. Like a warm hearth waiting for you after walking through a blizzard.

"How do we always end up like this?" Lucy whispered as she pulled away from him.

"What do you mean? Like what?" Natsu asked, going in for another kiss, but Lucy held up a finger to stop him. She smiled at him, then whispered her answer.

"I don't know how, but we always end up like this," Lucy whispered, almost completely breathless "Completely all over each other and I have no idea how we get here"

"Who cares about how? I just like it" Natsu answered, then leaned in and kissed her, right on the mouth. She knotted her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer. He had his hands on her back, at her waist, pulling her down on the bed. She was practically on top of him, the heat of the moment causing sweat to bead down her neck.

Somewhere in the moment, his hands were unbuttoning her dress. She was undoing the collar of his shirt . . .

And it was all downhill from there.

(*´∀｀*)人(*´∀｀*)

Lucy awoke in Natsu's arms, sometime in the middle of the night. Her skin was completely bare, which is to say, not a single article of clothing was touching her skin. Her hair was loose, falling down her back, her skin practically glowing in the moonlight.

She sat up, pulling her nightgown over her head. She walked to the window, staring out of the window. She turned as Natsu stirred in his sleep, probably sensing the fact that Lucy was no longer there.

This could be very good or very bad. She wasn't complaining about the fact that she slept with Natsu, but . . . it was official. This couldn't be brushed off as a "fling" if they were caught, anymore. This was a full-fledged affair.

She looked around, making sure Natsu was asleep as she walked to her dresser. She pulled out Laxus's note from A, setting it down on the window so she could see it through the moonlight.

Whoever wrote the note was good, the lettering looked almost as if they weren't even english letters. They curled into fancy letters like smoke; it must have taken A a long time to write a three-sentence-long letter. Hell, it must haven't taken them hours. No wonder A's letters were so short.

Lucy narrowed her eyes, biting her lip in concentration. So, the suspects for A were pretty much just Gildarts and Jellal. The only two people who are that close to the king to be A.

So could either of them have hidden a message? Maybe an initial, like J.F. or G.C. somewhere in this little note? Of course, it wasn't going to be in plain sight. She just had to look a little closer. . .

'_It has come to our notice that a servant in the Heartfilia palace has told a royal you were planning the fires_'. Every letter in perfect separation, perfect detail. As if an artist drew it rather than somebody wrote it. Lucy looked through it, circling every 'G', 'C', and 'F' in the letter with her quill.

Lucy set back, sighing in realization. The letter 'J' didn't appear once in either A letters. Did that mean something? If Jellal was A, was he purposely avoiding the first letter of his name so she wouldn't suspect him?

She looked over the letter, the signature 'A' in particular. It twisted and curled around, very thin, almost as if it was done quickly. But it was so talented and delicately made, there was no way it was done hastily.

She overlooked the 'A', separating it in half. There it was, she knew there was something funny about that 'A'. It wasn't really an 'A', it was a combination of two letters: "J.F.".

"Jellal is A" Lucy whispered as the quill slipped from her hand, flying out the open window, fluttering to the ground like a one-winged butterfly.

(＾○＾)オ(＾▽＾)ハ(＾０＾)ツ～

_**Chapter eight teen, here we go. Now, for a comment question: who do you guys think 'A' is? Answers in reviews, reasoning behind your answers would be appreciated. **_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	19. The Hurt, Lonely, and Ones Left behind

_**You people better be as grateful to me as I am to you. Thank you for two hundred reviews! I kind of meant when this story gets 200 reviews rather than 100 . . . typo :P. As promised, two chapters will be uploaded today. Thanks for all the reviews and support!**_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Nineteen ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * The Hurt, Lonely, and Ones Left behind ~ * ~ ***_

"This doesn't prove anything!" Erza spat, tearing the A note in half.

"General Scarlett!" Laxus exclaimed, "That was evidence! We're this much closer to finding out who 'A' is!"

"That's not evidence, it's a note we've already read a million times over!" Erza retorted, "And because you can make two letters out of an 'A' doesn't mean anything. I bet you can find lots of letters in that 'A' if you just look"

"I did look, Erza-San," Lucy said, "It was very hidden, but still pretty obvious. J.F.? Who else in this castle have those initials rather than Jellal Fernandes?"

"A servant, maybe?" Erza asked, "J.F. doesn't prove anything! Plenty of people here could have those initials"

"But he was a suspect before we found those initials," Natsu said, "This just sort of justifies our suspicion"

"I know it's not him!" Erza exclaimed, small tears dotting her eyes, but her hand dashed up to wipe them away before anyone (at least any human, for that matter) could see them "I just know it's not him! I know it with all my heart! I'm never going to accuse him of something as serious as this"

"Erza-San, why does this guy mean so much to you?" Levy asked, "I know that if he were anyone else, this would be enough evidence to at least cause suspicion for you"

"Because . . . Because . . ." Erza sighed, looked to the ground, then looked up to meet them in the eyes once more "Because I love him. Because everyone else I have is dead. Because he's the only one I have left—"

"Oh, shut up" Kōri spat "Don't pull the 'my boyfriend may be a criminal, please feel sorry for me' card. Things could be so much worse for you, Erza"

"Kōri!" Gray hissed, "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's _wrong _with me!" Kōri retorted "I'm just saying that she's getting all whiny over nothing. Jellal isn't the only one you have left, you have seven people who care a lot about you, and they're all in this room. You're not alone, Erza, and I doubt you'll ever be again. Yeah, they're not family, but they're pretty damn close. How is this not enough for you? _How_?"

Erza paused, her mouth hung open in a perfect 'o', gaping at Kōri "I . . . I . . . How do you . . .?"

"I know plenty of people who would kill for people who do nothing but care for you!" Kōri spat "You don't know a thing about being forgotten!"

"You're speaking as if from experience" Lucy said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, now you're going to get suspicious of me, to?" Kōri growled "You think that _I'm_ A, now? Well, go ahead, _princess_, arrest me. I'm going to go enjoy my last few minutes of freedom, thank you very much" Kōri turned on her heels, opening the door and slamming it behind her.

"What's wrong with her?" Gajeel asked.

"I'll go try to calm her down," Gray said, "I'm sorry about that . . . maybe something Erza said reminded her of something?"

"She didn't seem angry," Erza whispered "I know the face of anger and that wasn't it"

"Then what did she seem, General?" Natsu asked, a bit mockingly.

"She seemed . . . Hurt" Erza said, straightening herself up "That's it. Hurt, scared, and lonely. But if anything, she wasn't angry. Not in any way at all"

(＾○＾)オ(＾▽＾)ハ(＾０＾)ツ～

_The blood, scarlet against the snow, dripped down her skin. The red, the horrible tainted red, was everywhere. It followed her in her footsteps, it stained her skin and her clothes. It dripped off her clothing, onto the fallen snow. And she had no idea if the blood was hers. _

_The girl was very young, around the age of twelve or thirteen, but no younger or no older. Her hair was the color of freshly fallen snow, even in her young age, and her eyes an icy blue. _

_But one could hardly tell the color of her skin or her hair. For the red mixed with it all, almost becoming her new hair color if the water of the snow hadn't washed it away. She trudged forward, the snow only getting deeper with every step. _

_Suddenly, the snow was too deep and her legs were too weak. She was somewhere among the mountaintop when she tripped over a stone, falling face-first into the snow. She turned over, laying on her back, staring at the blue-gray sky as the snow fell. _

_She didn't bother getting up; she just lay there. Her breath was iced, and she wished for nothing but warmth. But she put up with it, hoping the cold would be so merciful to take her life quickly. _

_She deserved no place on the Earth. Not like anybody cared, anyway. She was one of the many who were hurt, lonely, and left behind. A person the world had long forgotten, even after just a day that she had left._

_Maybe the snow would rid the red stains of her, if she was lucky. Hopefully it would be peaceful, and quick. But peaceful and quick was much more than she deserved. As for now, she was to die here, in the ice and snow. _

_A fitting end for an Ice Dragon . . . _

"Kōri? Kōri, wake up!"

Kōri's eyes snapped open, as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Gray was sitting across from her; when did she get to his room? Better question: when did she fall asleep? And why was she dreaming about when she was thirteen? What happened then was the past . . . and only the past.

"Afternoon, Sleepy-Head" Gray smirked.

"How long have I been sleeping?" Kōri asked, rubbing her eyes with the palm of her hand.

"Half an hour," Gray answered, "I came in and you were asleep. You looked so peaceful, so I decided to let you take a little nap. It's almost Teatime"

"Is Damian making those little cupcakes again?" Kōri asked, straightening herself out at the mention of Teatime. Of course, Damian was pretty annoying in the first place. But those little cupcakes he made were _heaven_.

"I asked for them," Gray said, "And since I did that for you, can you answer something for me?"

"That depends. Are little cupcakes worth as much as whatever personal question you're obviously about to ask me?" Kōri asked.

"What was that about?" Gray asked, "Yelling at Erza and then running out, slamming the door? You made a pretty sentimental friend speech, though, I'll admit that"

"I . . . I don't know," Kōri said "It just seemed to me that she was overreacting. I got a little out of hand. I guess . . . I spent so long alone in the mountains before you found me . . . I don't think she knows what it's really like to be alone"

"I didn't know you were scared of being alone," Gray smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not! Kōri Hiryū isn't afraid of anything or anyone!" Kōri snapped "I just don't _like_ being alone. But I can take it. Thank you very much"

"Whatever" Gray sighed, looking out the window.

"What is it?" Kōri asked.

"Where . . . Where do you think Juvia is by now?" Gray asked, both his eyes and his voice incredibly distant.

"Juvia? Knowing her, safe, happy, and healthy" Kōri smiled, laying a hand on Gray's shoulder "She's a talented mage, she can take care of herself. Trust me, Gray, she's ok. You will see her again, I promise"

"Don't make promises you can't keep" Gray muttered.

"Let me repeat:" Kōri smirked, "I _promise_"

（ ＾＾）人（＾＾ ）

_**Ok, so that's this chapter. I promise the next chapter will be longer and have NaLu in it. And a few more answers, I guess. The next chapter will be out later today! Promise!  
**_

_**Like it, love it, hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	20. Life Among the Forgotten

_**Here we go, two chapters in one day. I'm on a roll!**_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail.**_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Twenty ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * Life Among the Forgotten ~ * ~ ***_

"Lucy-Dono, Teatime" Damian said, entering her room. Lucy scrambled to hide the A note in her desk, as she sat up, straightening her dress and gave a small curtsy to Damian.

"Yes, yes, thank you" Lucy said "Lay it down on the table"

Damian's green eyes glanced around the room, squinting out of his bad eyesight "Where's Natsu? He isn't here, right? I mean . . . it's not that I'm not seeing him, right?"

"No, he's out" Lucy said "Damian, why don't you get glasses? You obviously can't see"

"G-glasses? N-now d-do you know how m-many accidents happen with g-glasses?" Damian spluttered "What if I t-trip and the glass b-breaks and f-falls into my e-eye—"

"Try these," Lucy said, taking out her old glasses. She used them for reading when she was younger, and she was glad she didn't have to use them anymore. They were giant and circular, and meant for people who were blind as bats. But they did seem like Damian's style.

Damian slipped on the glasses, the blinked. His eyes seemed to be bigger and even more innocent behind the glasses, but he did look absolutely adorable with them on.

"Hey! I can see perfectly!" Damian exclaimed, fastening his glasses "Thank you, Lucy-Dono. These are amazing!"

"You're welcome," Lucy smiled, taking a seat on the sofa and picking up one of Damian's mini-cupcakes. They were of his own invention, a cupcake that was smaller than her palm with either a caramel or chocolate filling. They tasted like a slice of paradise.

"L-Lucy-Dono?" Damian whispered "What's this?"

Lucy wiped the crumbs of her face, then dashed over at top speed and snatched the note from his hands. The A note must had fallen out of her desk at some point; it was in plain sight, laying on the floor.

"Nothing! A quote from a book" Lucy exclaimed.

"Please don't lie to me, Lucy-Dono, I read a bit of it before you took it" Damian whispered, the shame dripping in his voice "What is it _really_?"

"It's . . . It's a note," Lucy sighed. She was telling way to many people this "Promise not to tell?"

"I promise" Damian said, straightening himself up.

"Someone calling themselves 'A' is handing out notes to the terrorist's followers" Lucy said "I think the terrorist is a cult, someone telling people to go around burning houses. I think 'A' might be Jellal Fernandes, since the 'A' is actually the initials 'J.F.' combined to make the letter. Don't tell anyone, got it?"

"I swear I won't tell," Damian said, making an 'X' over his heart, and then offered his pinky. Lucy eyed it for a moment, then locked her own pinky with his. Damian Miyagi was probably the only man of twenty-three to still do pinky swears with people.

"Have you thought of looking for tricks?" Damian asked.

"Huh?" Lucy looked to him, raising an eyebrow. Damian held out his hand, and Lucy put the note in his palm. He walked over to the desk, taking a quill and reading over the letter. It was the one Laxus had given them the night they discovered that he was a double Agent.

"My big brother worked in the king's army for a while," Damian said, "So he taught me a few tricks. One I know is to do this:" Damian held the paper up against the candle, holding it at a certain angle.

Lucy squinted, seeing the words appear, though barley. _Dragons are in the palace. Be on the lookout, kill anyone you suspect to be a dragon. _

"Laxus did say that the Holy Servants got a command to kill any suspecting dragons on the spot," Lucy whispered under her breath, the wind rattling the windows was louder than her.

"What was that, Lucy-Dono?" Damian asked.

"Nothing. Thank you so very much for the help, Damian" Lucy said, giving a low bow "But I would like to have some time privately, please"

"Yes, Lucy-Dono" Damian gave a small bow, then left the room. Lucy waited until she could no longer hear his footsteps, then she grabbed the other 'A' note, holding it up against the candle light at the same angle. _Erza Knightwalker is Erza Scarlett's sister. Raise no suspicion of her being a Holy Servant. _

Bingo. A was smart, in case the notes were ever found, he hid messages in the notes. But how was this done? Magic or a special ink? Natsu had told her before that he doubted that either A or the Master was human. Did this prove that theory . . . ?

(◎｀・ω・´)人(´・ω・｀*)

"Lucy!" Natsu exclaimed, bursting into her room "Are you ok?"

Lucy looked up from her place on the couch, setting her book down. She raised an eyebrow "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I was gone all day! You didn't summon me _once_!" Natsu exclaimed, rushing over to her, taking her face in his hands as he checked her over for any injuries "I thought you were kidnapped or something!"

"If I was kidnapped, I would have summoned you" Lucy rolled her eyes, but held his hand so he kept holding her face "I'm fine, honestly. You don't need to worry about my safety every time you leave"

"I worry about your safety even when I'm here," Natsu sighed "I . . . I love you, Lucy. And it's driving me crazy"

"Why?" Lucy asked, her eyes a bit wide as she let go of his hand. Yes, he had told her that he loved her before. But he hardly ever said those words anymore. Was he that worried for her safety?

"Because you're marrying Gray? Because we're hunting down a murderer? Because you'll be in so much trouble if anybody finds us?" Natsu exclaimed "Because I want nothing but to keep you safe, but I'm doing nothing but put you in danger?"

"Natsu, Natsu, calm down" Lucy whispered, kissing his forehead quickly "You're not putting me in danger, I'm putting myself in danger. I don't want to live without you, Natsu, no matter the cost. I need you"

"I need you more" Natsu whispered.

"Don't fight with me" Lucy laughed, then leaned forward and kissed him. He returned the kiss without hesitation, his hands going to her waist. Her arms went around his neck, pulling him closer to her. No way she was letting this moment go to waste, no way in hell.

There was a knock on the door, and the two jumped apart. Lucy smoothened down her hair and her dress, then called "Who is it?"

"Relax, it's just us" Gray's voice called. Judging by the word 'us', Lucy guessed that Kōri was there with him. She walked over, opening the door, allowing Gray to enter. Kōri was right behind him, so suspicions cleared.

"You weren't do anything sexy here, were you?" Gray smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, no," Lucy said.

"Yeah, that was last night" Natsu smirked.

Gray let out a loud laugh "You—you're joking, right?"

Natsu and Lucy exchanged a nervous glance, giving Kōri and Gray nervous smiles. Natsu shrugged "What can we say? We had a little fun"

"Oh, god, no" Kōri's eyes widened, as a hand flew to her mouth "This is bad"

"Why?" Natsu asked.

"You can't pass this off as just a 'fling' anymore, you guys had _sex_" Gray exclaimed "This is a full-fledged affair. I know I might have had something with Juvia, but she's gone now. I can brush it off and deny it. You . . . if you get caught you're in the danger zone"

"I know," Lucy sighed "But . . . I guess it just happened"

"Just don't do it again," Kōri said "If you get caught—"

"What? What do you mean 'don't do it again'? It's not that bad, is it?" Natsu exclaimed "I mean, there's nothing wrong with it! It's ok if I want to sleep with her more than once, right?"

"You just want to sleep with her again, don't you?" Kōri raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms.

"N-no! I mean—C'mon! It's _fun_!" Natsu exclaimed.

"You can live without it," Gray scoffed "At least until after the wedding and after we catch this terrorist. Wait for this whole thing to tone down, then things can get back on track. When I'm king the first thing I'm going to do is bring Juvia back to Magnolia"

"I know what I'm going to do," Natsu said, smirking, as he wrapped an arm around Lucy's waist. She scoffed, rolling her eyes, but ended up smiling and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Oh!" Lucy exclaimed, jumping up, grabbing the A note and a candle "Anybody want to see some secret messages?"

(^^)-(^^)-(^^)-(^^)-(^^)

_The feeling of ice and snow against her skin, chilling her to the bone. Yet, even so, she felt no cold. Her fingertips were turning a shade of light blue, and she somehow knew that her lips were blue. Her skin was the color fallen snow, almost as white as her hair. _

_Is this heaven or hell? Was she dead or alive? Is this a dream? If so, when did she fall asleep? Her breath came out frozen and iced in the air, so she was breathing. How was . . . how was she even alive . . . ?_

_The words of her mother rang in her ears "When an ice dragon matures, they no longer feel the cold. They could get buried in an avalanche and not die, for the cold has no effect on them". _

_Of course, just her luck. Just when she decided she wanted to die, when she knew she deserved no place on the earth, she couldn't die. Was this a stroke of luck or a well-planned curse? _

_She sighed, falling back onto the snow. Overlooking the skies as the snow continued to fall, the only sound to be heard was the sound of her breathing. Was this her fate? Complete solitude in the ice mountains, with no connection to the world outside?_

_Maybe . . . maybe this was for the best. Maybe if she couldn't die of the cold, the cold could hide her. After all, the world was a much better place without her. But a human body such as this one was no way to live in the snowy mountains. _

_She leapt forward, and transformed in mid-jump. Her body transformed, into one similar to a lizard's, her new scales a mixture of light blue and white. Her eyes remained the same, the same icy blue, even in the body of a dragon._

_The newfound ice dragon dashed up the mountain, body blending into the ice and snow. For the little girl who went to the mountains to die was dead, a figure of the past, someone who no longer existed._

_Now, there was only the Ice Dragon of the Northern Mountains. And Kōri Hiryū was long dead. _

When Kōri awoke for the second time, the moon was already high in the sky. Gray slept soundly next to her, the bed practically divided in half. She sat up, walking to the window.

She leapt backwards as a single snowflake drifted down from the sky, landing on the window ledge. She growled in annoyance, annoyed at herself for being so jumpy.

_It's December, Kōri, it's going to snow in these parts_, Kōri reminded herself with a scoff. In the kingdom of Ōkoku, snow was something only rumored of. Gray even doubted its existence, since it never snowed in Ōkoku. But Kōri would never be able to forget the existence of snow.

She looked up, walking back to the window. The scent hit her nose first, then she saw it. The tongues of flames leaping up from the village, lighting up against the black sky.

Kōri ran over to Gray, shaking him awake, but all the while she didn't take her eyes away from the window.

"Kōri . . . what is it?" Gray muttered.

"It's happened again!" Kōri exclaimed "A Noble house is on fire!"

ヽ(*≧ω≦)ﾉo(≧∇≦o) (¬‿¬)

_**Two chapters in one day. See? I keep my promises. And to FairyGuardianRenee, Natsu could be one hell of a butler! But that kind of butler awesomeness can only belong to Sabastian, so I didn't even try. (-.-) **_

_**I hope you guys liked my two-in-one-day chapters! **_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	21. With A Past Stained Red

_**Thanks for all the reviews! I don't own Fairy Tail. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Twenty-One ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * With A Past Stained Red ~ * ~ ***_

"Shit!" Natsu exclaimed, jumping right out the window, followed by Gajeel and Kōri. Lucy scrambled out of her bed, slipping on her silk bathrobe. Gray and Levy burst out of their rooms.

"I was hoping this fire thing had stopped!" Gray yelled, as the three of them ran down what could have been eight flights of stairs and ran to the burning house. The bits of soot fell from the sky like snow, fastening themselves in her hair, on her skin.

"Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed when she saw the familiar pink of his hair. He turned, eyes of shame and anger at himself. Gajeel had a similar expression on his face, while Kōri was on her knees, taking in handfuls of the ashes.

"We're . . . we were too late" Kōri whispered "The Niigata household's finished. Ashes"

"Look," Gajeel said, pointing to the ashes. Only a single wall was still standing, and it obviously seconds away from falling to ashes. Gajeel walked to the other side of the wall, then beckoned them over "We got a message"

Lucy walked over to where he was, and her eyes widened when she saw the message written on the wall:

_Keep trying to ruin us, and someone is going to die. That is a promise. _

_~A _

"A knows we're trying to stop him," Levy breathed "He . . . or she knew we were going to come here".

"Someone is going to die . . ." Gray whispered.

"No . . . No, no, no!" Kōri's voice started as a whisper, then she was shouting "No! This can't be happening again! What the hell is he doing threatening us? This can't be happening again!"

"Kōri!" Gray exclaimed, grabbing her by the shoulders, trying to calm her "What's wrong? What do you mean?"

"It's . . . it's happening all over again," Kōri whispered.

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked "And don't you dare say 'nothing', Kōri, tell the truth!"

Kōri took in a breath, her eyes filling with tears "I . . . My first village . . . My first home was attacked by this terrorist" She wiped the tears from her eyes with her palm "I can't make you understand, and I can't promise that it will help in any way. But I can tell you my story. Time to reveal everything I've kept from Gray"

（゜◇゜） （￣□￣；） ∑(O_O；)

_There was a time when the last house fell to ashes, burnt to a crisp. There was a time when Kōri Hiryū was the last person left alive in the Mura village. Her face was covered in soot, she had just barely escaped the flames of her burning home. If she hadn't been hiding in the basement, she would have died hours ago._

_She clutched the ground, digging her nails into the soil, screaming in agony. This was so unfair. Her family, friends, neighbors, everyone—they were nothing but ashes. And she couldn't even bury the bodies. _

_Why did she have to suffer? Why did everyone else get to live such a happy life? She felt the transformation take over her, the body of a thirteen-year-old girl turning into a body of a blue-and-white dragon. When she was in her complete dragon form, she took off in flight. _

_In her rage and in her sadness, Kōri terrorized the Machi town, destroying nearly half of it in just one night. She was so angry, so miserable, the destruction of things seemed to be the only way to cure herself. Anyone who came in her way suffered a painful, bloody death. _

_As she came to destroy a very small, very poor-looking house, a boy around the age of seven came in her way. She let out a roar, lifting up her talons in a threatening manner. The boy looked to ber, and rather, than looking scared, he smiled. _

"_You're sad, aren't you?" the little boy smiled "I can see it"._

_Kōri hesitated, overlooking the boy. He just kept smiling at her, giving her a look of complete and utter understanding. She lowered her claws, lightly pawing at the ground. _

"_I understand," the boy said "You're in a lot of pain. But you don't need to hurt anyone anymore. I know you don't mean to"_

_Kōri stared at him, her eyes wide. How was someone so young, so innocent, know so much? How did he understand what she didn't? How did he know what everyone else didn't? How did he know—_

_She let out a scream of pain as two arrows soared from the house, one piercing her shoulder, the other stabbing her in the stomach. The boy let out a scream of alarm, turning and yelling at the one who fired the arrow. _

"_Stop! She didn't mean to!" The little boy yelled "I'm serious, stop it! Don't hurt her!"_

_Kōri growled in annoyance, taking flight. She landed miles away, in the snowy northern mountains. She was too weak to remain a dragon anymore, she blanked back into her human form. She ripped the arrows out of her skin, the scarlet blood dripping over her clothing and onto the snow._

_How did the little boy know she was a girl? As a dragon, she was a monster, an animal in which only a professional or another dragon could tell the difference between male and female. How was someone so innocent so smart. . . ?_

_She had officially lost everything. Her home, her family, and everything of her past life was nothing but a pile of ashes a hundred miles away. And with the sins she had just done . . . she no longer deserved a place on this Earth. Even the terrorist who had done the deed was probably holier than her. _

_The blood, scarlet against the snow, dripped down her skin. The red, the horrible tainted red, was everywhere. It followed her in her footsteps, it stained her skin and her clothes. It dripped off her clothing, onto the fallen snow. And she had no idea if the blood was hers._

_The girl was very young, around the age of twelve or thirteen, but no younger or no older. Her hair was the color of freshly fallen snow, even in her young age, and her eyes an icy blue._

_But one could hardly tell the color of her skin or her hair. For the red mixed with it all, almost becoming her new hair color if the water of the snow hadn't washed it away. She trudged forward, the snow only getting deeper with every step._

_Suddenly, the snow was too deep and her legs were too weak. She was somewhere among the mountaintop when she tripped over a stone, falling face-first into the snow. She turned over, laying on her back, staring at the blue-gray sky as the snow fell._

_She didn't bother getting up; she just lay there. Her breath was iced, and she wished for nothing but warmth. But she put up with it, hoping the cold would be so merciful to take her life quickly._

_She deserved no place on the Earth. Not like anybody cared, anyway. She was one of the many who were hurt, lonely, and left behind. A person the world had long forgotten, even after just a day that she had left._

_Maybe the snow would rid the red stains of her, if she was lucky. Hopefully it would be peaceful, and quick. But peaceful and quick was much more than she deserved. As for now, she was to die here, in the ice and snow._

_A fitting end for an Ice Dragon . . ._

(○o○)（・□；）((((；゜Д゜)))

"You . . . that's why you were hiding in the mountains!" Gray exclaimed "You _were _trying to kill yourself!"

"What did you expect me to do?" Kōri spat "I hated myself more than anything! I thought maybe if I died . . . the world would just be a better place. I couldn't get rid of my sins so . . . I wanted to get rid of myself"

"The terrorist took down your town, too?" Lucy asked, eyes wide in horror.

Kōri nodded "The same pattern. Some people I knew were trying to stop him, too. They found a few clues, and then they got a message saying that if they don't stop, someone will die. And then . . . someone did. One by one, them and everyone they cared for was murdered"

"We're digging our own graves," Natsu said "But . . . We can't let this terrorist get the best of us. Even if it means risking everything, we need to stop this guy. We can't let him hurt any more people"

"Agreed," Kōri nodded "Now—"

She paused as she looked over Natsu's shoulder, seeing a message appear on the nearest wall. The red ink dripping down like blood, appearing out of nowhere. Whoever A was, either he or the master did know magic.

_You have made your choice clear. But since I like you, I'll give you a choice._

_Pick who is to die:_

_Laxus Dreyar,_

_Lyon Fullbuster,_

_Damian Miyagi,_

_Lucy Heartfilia,_

_Erza Scarlett. _

_Make your pick. I want a note from L. Dreyar with an answer by nightfall. _

_~A _

*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:* (⌒▽⌒) ⊂((・▽・))⊃

_**Uh-oh. Shit got serious. So after Kōri's backstory, do you think she can still be trusted? Answers in reviews, reasoning behind it would be appreciated!**_

_**Like it, love it, hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!  
**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	22. Take Fate Into Your Own Hands

_**Thanks for all the reviews, guys! I'm not going to rant, let's get on with the chapter. I don't own Fairy Tail. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Twenty-Two ~ * ~ * **_

_**~ * ~ * Take Fate Into Your Own Hands ~ * ~ * **_

"This is too far!" Laxus exclaimed "Now A's threatening to kill people? A freaking list?"

"We know" Kōri said "There's no way we're actually picking someone to die! Why were those people picked anyway?"

"Why would A want to kill my brother?" Gray said "Lyon hasn't done anything to oppose them!"

"And what about Damian?" Lucy asked "He's possibly the most innocent person on the planet"

"Are you kidding me, Lucy?" Natsu said, raising an eyebrow "First, Damian squealed to Ultear about Laxus planning the fires. That got him a 'warning'. Then he started showing you secret messages in the A notes that A didn't want any of us to see. Not to mention he's a servant, so he'd be easiest to kill"

"Ok," Erza sighed, "I'm offering myself up"

"No, Erza" Levy said, "We're not going to let you do that"

"Are we sure? Because someone offering themselves up makes this choice a _lot_ easier" Gajeel pointed out, causing Levy to hit him on the head with what looked to be a hard-cover book.

"Gajeel!" Levy hissed.

"No, he's right," Lucy sighed "One of us has to offer ourselves up and honestly . . . I vote for me"

"You're the princess, Lucy" Natsu hissed "That's very honorable, but also very _impossible_. Not to mention stupid"

"Look, almost everyone on that list is important," Lucy said "Lyon is Gray's big brother, we need Damian to decode anything we find, Erza and Laxus are doing all the plannings. Not to mention they're the General and Knight Captain. I'm the only one who doesn't—"

"You're going to be the queen of Fiore" Gray reminded her "You're pretty important to. Why are we even talking like this, there's no way we can let somebody die. We're just going to have to tell A that"

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one writing to the psycho" Laxus snapped.

"Laxus, just . . . c'mon" Kōri sighed, rolling her eyes "Write the note"

Laxus glanced around the room, seeing the same expression on everyone's faces. He sighed, walking over to Lucy's desk, pulling out a piece of parchment and dipping his quill in the inkwell. He quickly scribbled down a note, showing them the note he'd written.

_To A,_

_We refuse to pick any one to die, on or off the list. Since you know now that I am a Double Agent, I would like no part in whatever else you're planning. Thank you, go fuck yourself. _

_Sincerely,_

_Laxus Dreyar _

"Are you sure that last part was necessary?" Levy cringed.

"Very," Laxus said "They wouldn't ask for a note from me if they didn't already know that I'm on your side. If they already know that, I don't want any part of this crazy-ass cult"

"Understood" Natsu said "Now time to send it"

(-'๏_๏'-) (⊙…⊙ ) ( ´△｀)

It had been three days since they'd sent the note to A, and three days without a single death. Was A just bluffing or being merciful? Because Natsu was sure that A was more than capable of killing someone. Denying that would be like spitting on Dan Straight's grave.

He breathed in the scenery as he stood on Lucy's balcony, the moon absent in the night sky. From the moonlight's absence, the stars glittered and gleamed brightly in the sky, like tiny torches in the sky. The scent of the night was calm, peaceful. Beautiful, even without the moon's presence.

"It's a New Moon," Natsu turned, seeing Lucy step on the scene. She was in her long white nightgown, her blonde hair shining in the stars' light. She walked up to him, standing next to him with her hands on the railing.

"Who needs the moon, anyway?" Natsu scoffed in response "The stars are just as good, aren't they?"

"They are bright tonight," Lucy admitted "Must be a perfect night for Loki-Sensei, though. You can see the stars perfectly"

"It's not the stars I like seeing," Natsu whispered "It's you"

"What was that?" Lucy asked.

"Nothing"

"Really? Because it sounded like something"

"Don't make me repeat it"

"Don't make me order you to—"

"I said it's not the stars I like seeing, it's you!" Natsu exclaimed, making sure to talk at top-speed. If he was going to say it, he would say it of his own free will. At least he'd be able to keep his dignity, that way.

He never was the romantic type, he was never quite the flirt. Anything close to it usually made him blush up a storm. He hardly _ever_ blushed, but somehow, Lucy managed to make him do it. He hated her for that, and loved her for it at the same time.

Lucy gave him a small smile, then laughed "You don't need to be embarrassed, Natsu, I think it's cute when you say romantic stuff to me"

"I think it's embarrassing" Natsu grumbled, looking away. Lucy put a hand to his cheek, standing up on her tiptoes to look him in the eye. She leaned in closer to him, eyes closing . . .

And then there was a knock on the door.

Lucy looked away, walking over to the door. Natsu slammed his fist on the balcony in annoyance (causing a little piece of stone to break off and fall a thousand miles down). So close, _so close_!

Lucy opened the door, and—speak of the devil—found that Loki was looking right back at her. He gave a small, respectful bow to her, in which she curtsied in response. Over in the background, Natsu was giving low, mocking bows to absolutely nothing, grumbling things like "look at me, I'm Loki, and I know how to bow! Bow, bow, bow! Watch me bow, Lucy, since I'm so damn good at it!".

"I hate to interrupt you," Loki said "But I have a little problem. You see, I'm doing a little stargazing up in my office. I ordered a few star charts, but I'm too busy to go get them. Do you mind if I send someone to go pick them up for me?"

"Not at all," Lucy smiled "I hope you find something interesting up there"

"Yes, Ma'am. Thank you" Loki gave one last bow, before Lucy closed the door. Natsu crossed his arms, grumbling his complaints. But he was _not_ jealous. It made sense for him to be jealous of Gray, Lucy was marrying him. But he wasn't jealous of some playboy who liked to stare at stars in his free time. _No way_.

Lucy walked over to Natsu "Sorry about that—"

He didn't even let her finish, he grabbed her by the shoulder and kissed her, right on the mouth. Lucy went stiff with surprised, but eventually gave into the kiss, wrapping her arms around Natsu's neck.

She broke away first, taking in quick, shallow breaths "What was that about—?"

"I'm not jealous," Natsu said quickly, thinking he should make that point clear before anything else. Because he was not, absolutely _not_, jealous of dumb Loki Celeste. Course, not because Loki could get any girl he wanted but he just _had _to go flirting with Lucy. No sir-y, Natsu Dragneel was neither jealous nor mad.

"I never said you were," Lucy smirked, raising an eyebrow, keeping her arms wrapped around his neck. Really? Natsu figured she would have said something, or maybe he was just randomly saying what came to mind.

"Good . . . 'cause I'm not" Natsu said, his eyes darting back and forth. Lucy laughed, her laugh sounded like the jingling of bells.

"You're such a moron," she laughed, reaching up to kiss him once again. Was he a moron? Oh, yes, completely. But that didn't matter. He could be the stupidest person in the world, and it still wouldn't matter. Because he was absolutely _not_ jealous.

He wasn't!

（●´∀｀）ノ 〈(゜。゜) o(-`д´- ｡)

Gray sighed, looking out the window. The sun was high in the sky, it was definitely teatime. So where the holy _hell_ was Damian? He could really use one of his little mini cupcakes right now.

Kōri was in the middle of what looked to be an extremely supersized book. She was resting her chin on her knuckle, and she looked to be just as annoyed by Damian's mini cupcake absence.

Gray didn't understand how she seemed so calm. The story of her past had rattled him, anyone else with her past would have been either dead or driven insane. Yet she remained strong, now, even if she had escaped to the mountains in search of her own death. That's what he liked most about Kōri: her strength.

"Where is he?" Kōri groaned, finally snapping and throwing her book across the room. It bounced off the wall, causing a good dent in the bricks, but not knocking anything over or breaking anything.

"Who? Damian?" Gray asked, and Kōri nodded in response.

"Yeah, I need his muffins!" Kōri exclaimed, jumping off the couch and walking out the door. She barely walked five paces before she ran into Loki, the palace Astronomer.

"Kōri-San! Have you seen Lucy-Dono?" Loki asked, his voice full of worry.

"No, not since yesterday," Kōri answered, then turned to Gray "Hey Gray, have you seen Lucy?"

"Not since yesterday" Gray answered.

"Sorry, dude" Kōri said, but stopped Loki before he could run off "Whoa, what's the hurry? Why do you need to see Lucy so badly?"

"It—it's about Damian," Loki admitted.

"Oh, where the hell is he, we've been waiting for him all morning," Kōri said "He didn't fall down the stairs and break something, did he?"

Loki's eyes widened with horror, and Kōri could hear his heart thundering in his chest "Kōri-San . . . you don't know . . .?"

"Damian is dead," Loki whispered after taking in a deep breath, as if saying this was taking all his strength "They found his body this morning"

Kōri's eyes widened, and she felt as if her breathing stopped. She exchanged a glance with Gray, then slammed the door behind her. She didn't care if she was being rude, she was too horrified to say anything. Gray seemed to be thinking the exact same thing.

His name was on the list. _His name was on the list_. A obviously picked to kill him because he would be the easiest to kill. The poor servant who was terrified of the world had now left the world.

Gray jumped off the couch when he saw something out the window. He opened the window, seeing a piece of parchment. He looked it over, the wax seal was one of fire curling into the shape of a cross.

Gray quickly broke the seal, his eyes widening in horror as he read over the letter:

_Laxus Dreyar,_

_Lyon Fullbuster,_

_X Damian Miyagi,_

_Lucy Heartfilia,_

_Erza Scarlett,_

_Evergreen Strauss. _

_I think you should know by now that we mean business. If this keeps going, on person dies every day. _

_~A _

( ꒪Д꒪)ノ(((( ;°Д°)))) ((((；゜Д゜)))

_**Yeah, A means business. And yeah, in this fic, Elfman and Evergreen are married. I made it like that because I figured she needed a last name, and since I ship ElfmanxEvergreen, that wasn't much of a problem. **_

_**As one little add on, I found this Fairy Tail doujinshi on deviantart. It's called 'Love & Lucky' by Alina-Chan, and it's my favorite NaLu doujinshi on the internet! It's amazing, the arts amazing, the stories amazing. Check out this amazing doujinshi if you want. **_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	23. Death's Choice

_**Hey, people! Once again, I'm not going to rant about how great this story's doing. So on to the story!**_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Twenty-Three ~ * ~ *  
~ * ~ * Death's Choice ~ * ~ ***_

Prince Lyon Fullbuster was known for one thing in particular, and that was being better than his younger brother. All in all, he won in height, looks, and brains in the fight between him and Gray. And then, with that, he won the ruling over his home kingdom.

He had white hair that he liked to spike on its ends, pale skin, and almond-shaped onyx eyes. Of the entire Fullbuster family, he was the one who dressed most to fit his role as a prince. He was the figure everyone expected to reign as king, as Lyon was the ideal ruler.

Lyon could never really say that he tried his hardest to be on good terms with Gray. His relationship with his brother was as cold as ice, and was as hard and solitary as a glacier. But he knew he would do anything to keep his little brother alive and well.

There was a time during the construction of his palaces' stables, when Gray walked in and the roof was weak and collapsed. All the rubble would have fallen on Gray, if Lyon hadn't pushed him out of the way at last minute, taking the injury for him. Oh, the things he did for his younger brother.

For a while after that, the terms he was on with his younger brother was almost friendly. Not quite friends, but almost. They weren't as hostile to each other, but at least they didn't hate each other. That is, until they both fell in love with the same woman: Juvia Lockser.

Then they hated each other all over again.

The fight went on for a little while, but Juvia's choice was a clear one: she liked Gray. And for the first time in a competition for attention, Lyon lost to his little brother. The odds were one hundred to one, as it seemed, but he still lost. One can't control who someone falls in love with, that was the one truth to it all.

The hatred he contained for Gray lowered a bit, after he finally accepted the fact that Juvia loved Gray, and not him. He was almost on friendly scales with his brother when Queen Ur announced to him and the rest of their family that Gray was going to marry Princess Lucy, and he would become king of Magnolia.

And so, Lyon was left in his own room, reading over battle tactics. his mother was quite the fighter herself, and she made him in charge of the kingdom's military. That was another fight with Gray that Lyon had won.

He stretched out his arms, yawning as he looked out the window. Was he already tired? The moon was rising in the night sky, he had been working on tactics since morning.

Maybe he was overworking himself, again? He was always the solitary and work-obsessed type. Maybe he deserved a little bit of time off, just to relax and have some time around the town. He'd been in Magnolia for forever and he had yet to explore the town, since he was so obsessed with the military of his own kingdom.

Lyon slipped on his jacket, walking out onto the town. The moon was high in the sky, though barely a sliver in the black sky, shining like a silver beam. He sighed, glancing around. Everyone was so polite and so nice here, everyone treated you like a best friend.

He stopped as he heard footsteps, like something scuttling across the ground. He glanced down the alleyway, raising an eyebrow.

"Hello?" Lyon called "Is anyone down there?"

When there was no answer, nor any sound of movement, Lyon shrugged and continued on walking. But when he reached a second alleyway, he heard the exact same noise. What seemed to be a mixture of a spider walking up a wall and a person's footsteps.

"Ok! Now I _know _someone's out here!" Lyon exclaimed, running down the alley. Maybe he was being stupid, but if there was one thing he hated, it was somebody trying to make a fool out of him.

He heard the sound once more, turning abruptly just as he felt pain explode in his chest. It all happened so fast . . . Three marks slashed across his chest, tearing the both the skin and his shirt to tatters, cutting through him like a knife. The blood bloomed like a flower in spring across his chest, as he coughed up even more blood onto the cobblestones.

"Who . . . Who a-are you?" Lyon whispered, his lungs aching as it suddenly hurt to breath "Wh . . . What d-do you want . . .?"

The figure overlooked him with cold eyes, and details of their appearance were impossible to see " . . . _Gray_ . . ." they whispered, voice almost inaudible over the soft breeze.

"W-what? What do y-you want with him?" Lyon spat, trying to pull himself up with his arms, his blood falling and staining the ground "Leave h-him alone! D-Don't . . . d-don't hurt m-my little b-brother . . ."

His arms went weak, giving out under his weight and Lyon crashed back onto the stones. His vision blurred, beginning to shake and slowly disappear. Shapes going fuzzy, and light and dark were mixing into one thing. His eyes fluttered shut, as he fought to keep them open, as he fought to keep breathing.

"D-don't . . . hurt . . . my . . . little . . . brother . . ." Lyon whispered, his last words leaving his lips before his eyes went glassy, and his breathing stopped. The figure known as A crouched down, closing the young prince's eyes shut, yet not bothering to do anything more to the body.

After all, he was only human scum. Only a symbol of human idolism, another sin that stained the world. Another one that only deserved to die the way he did.

（゜◇゜） （￣□￣；） ∑(O_O；)

"Ultear!" Gray exclaimed, seeing his older sister exit her room "Have you seen Lyon? He's been gone since yesterday"

"No, sorry" Ultear said, a look of worry on her face "But I bet he's ok. He probably went out for the night and crashed somewhere. Wait, we're talking about Lyon. He probably fell asleep at the library while he was studying".

"I checked the library," Gray said, "And I checked all the pubs in town. I'm worried about him, Ultear, we should have a search party looking for him! Not standing here making random guesses"

"_Educated _guesses," Ultear pointed out, "And we can't send out a search party when he's not missing. He'll turn up, little brother, I promise"

Gray glanced around, then grabbed his cloak and slipped it on "I'm going to go look for him". The rain was falling in bucketfuls from a black sky, somewhere out there the dragon guardians were out looking around for anywhere in the city that a secret cult could be hiding.

"Lyon! _Lyon!_" Gray shouted as he walked down the streets "Nii-San! Where are you?". He had been wondering around town for two hours, looking up every nook and cranny for his older brother. As he looked down what could have been the twenty-fifth alley, he saw the most horrifying thing he'd ever seen: his big brother's body.

"Lyon!" Gray exclaimed, running at top speed towards his brothers body. Even in the rain, the blood was still there, the wounds ripping across his skin. It was a truly horrifying sight, his brother's eyes closed as if he was sleeping.

"No, no, no!" Gray said, grabbing his big brother's body and taking him up in his arms "Come on, Nii-San, stay with me! You can't be dead, you can't be! Come on, Lyon, wake up! _Wake up!_"

But no matter how hard he shook Lyon, no matter how loud he yelled, his brother didn't wake up. Only a fool would really think Lyon could possibly still be alive, but anyone with a heart would have tried to wake him up once again.

Tears began to form in Gray's eyes as he finally realized the truth, hugging his big brother's lifeless body. Gray realized that he spent too much of his time hating Lyon, of rivaling with him, when he should have been treating him like a brother. And now it was too late for him to say sorry.

At least they weren't enemies when he died. At least they were on friendlier terms when he passed away. But Gray only wished he could have called his big brother "friend" back when he was alive.

Before he had to leave this world for good.

(╯︵╰,) (╥_╥) (╯︵╰,)

Lyon Fullbuster's funeral was filled with tears and sadness, as nearly everyone came to give departure to the lost prince. Most of it was spent by Ultear sobbing on Gray's shoulder, while Gray tried to be strong and comfort his big sister, even when he felt like shit himself.

Gray would have tried to comfort his mother, but Queen Ur refused to be comforted. Tears dripped down her cheeks as she stood in front of her oldest son's coffin, clutching his hand and caressing his face with her hand. They had patched up his wounds, fitted him in nicer clothing, and even fixed his hair. He looked so peaceful and calm, he could have been sleeping, had no one known better.

And so, there came a time when Ur was no longer standing before her son's coffin, but sitting in front of his grave. As time passed, people began to go. Leaving only Lyon's mother, younger brother, and older sister in front of his grave.

"Mother," Ultear said "We should get going. It's only starting to rain harder"

Gray and Ultear were huddled under one umbrella, while their mother sat in front of Lyon's grave. Ur stared at the letters, as if she herself couldn't believe what had happened, and that her son was really gone.

"Just . . . Just a little while longer," Ur whispered, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"We can come back tomorrow, Mom" Gray said "Please, let's go back to the palace. You're going to catch your death out here"

Ur cringed, and Ultear hit him across the head hissing "moron!". Gray bit his lip _Wrong choice of words, Gray, wrong choice of words!_

"You're right," Ur sniffled, wiping away her tears with her palm "W-we should go back"

Gray walked back to the castle, running to Lucy's room as soon as they entered, leaving Ultear to comfort their mother. The dragons, Lucy, Erza, Laxus, and Levy were already there, dressed in black from attending the funeral. Kōri leapt up from her seat first, walking right over to Gray to give him a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry, Gray" Kōri whispered.

Gray nodded, then glanced around the room. Lucy was in tears, sobbing on to Natsu's shirt, as he had an arm around her shoulders. Levy sobbed into her hands while Gajeel had a slightly awkward, slightly comforting arm around her shoulders. Erza and Laxus, who hardly showed any emotion anyway, were looking solemn and sad.

"A has gone too far!" Gray snapped.

"We know, Gray" Natsu whispered.

"No, you don't know!" Gray spat, "Did he go out and kill your brother, Natsu? Yeah, I didn't think so," he answered himself when he saw the look of horror on the fire dragon's face "This isn't just another servant he killed, A _murdered my big brother!_"

"Gray, please, we know you're hurt—" Lucy started.

"Well it's good that you know, but I'm passed being hurt, I'm _furious!_" Gray snapped, then turned to Kōri "Kōri, when we find A, I want to you kill him. No matter what it takes, even if it means the Master gets loose again, kill A. Rip him to pieces and show him no mercy. Because as of today, he is getting no mercy from me"

Kōri hesitated, then gave a low bow "Yes, sir".

щ(゜ロ゜щ) (ﾉﾟ0ﾟ)ﾉ~ ⊙▂⊙

Evergreen and Elfman Strauss were known as one of the happiness married couples in all of Magnolia, and were keeping that happy streak. Evergreen was one of the highest in the king's court, while Elfman was a chef and worked as a knight in palace security. Though people hardly ever cared of their point of work.

"It's so pretty tonight," Evergreen sighed, looking up at the moon as the couple walked around town "Almost like a fairy"

"How do you know fairies are pretty?" Elfman asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I should know!" Evergreen smiled, clutching onto his arm "I am the Fairy Queen!"

"Of course you are," Elfman gave a tight smile. 'Fairy Queen' was a title that his wife had given herself, as she claimed she was the queen of fairies. Elfman partially thought that this fairy obsession of hers should be looked at, but whatever made her happy was good enough for him.

"Ever, I need to pick up a few recipe books," Elfman said "Do you want to come inside with me?"

"I'll wait out here," Evergreen gave a tight smile, trying to hide the fact that she was obviously bored with his offer "You go have fun with your . . . cookbooks"

Elfman rolled his eyes, leaning over to give her a quick kiss before entering the shop. He paid for the books, and was preparing to exit the shop with them before he heard a loud, feminine scream.

"Evergreen!" Elfman exclaimed, dropping his bags and running to her. In the somewhat darkness of the alley, Evergreen lay, the blood dripping from the tears in her skin, in three marks across her chest, staining the fabric of her dress.

Tears dripped from her eyes as she reached out, clutching Elfman's hand as her eyes fluttered shut, lips parted, sending an unspoken message to her beloved before she truly departed from the world.

Elfman clenched his teeth, blinking hard so the tears wouldn't fall as he took his wife in his arms "Help! My wife's hurt! Is there a doctor here?!" Elfman yelled, running down the streets. If a doctor appeared, he would go to them, the sooner the better. But there was no time to loose, the best Healer in all of Magnolia was Wendy Marvel. And he needed to get to her fast.

Before she was gone for good.

(;° ロ°) ヽ（゜ロ゜；）ノ （°o°；）

_**Yeah, before you guys get any ideas about what I'm about to say next: I AM A GIRL. Female! I'm a teenaged girl! So, yes, I am a pretty big Lyon fan. Not quite as big as I am a Jellal fan. I'm pretty much in love with Loki, Jellal, Gray, and Lyon (well, not so much of the 'Gray' part). Life isn't fair. o(/)o (Thats my little fangirl / screaming face. I think I made it up O.o). So yeah, killing him off really hurt me *dramatically clutches heart* see what I give to this story? A lot! **_

_**In case you're wondering, Gray is the youngest and Ultear is the oldest. I put their age order in the order that they met Ur (Ultear came first, then Lyon, and then Gray). Just in case it didn't make sense to you, I never actually said that. **_

_**So, Like it, love it, hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed! **_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	24. To Be Somebody's Hero

_**Hey, guys! Yeah, I know, that last chapter was pretty heavy. And kind of depressing, even for me. But it will get better! Promise.**_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail.**_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Twenty-Four ~ * ~ *  
~ * ~ * To Be Somebody's Hero ~ * ~ ***_

Gray knew Evergreen as the court woman who had decided Juvia's fate. For a long while, he did hate her. But he knew he didn't want something as horrible as this to happen to her, especially when she was happily married.

In front of Evergreen's hospital bed stood Elfman, and at either side of her were her children. The daughter was almost a spitting image of her at the age of eight, but she had Elfman's blue eyes. She was known because of her knowledge of karate, boxing, swords play, and judo.

The boy looked like Elfman, the same white hair and tan skin, though his white hair went for a more short, wavy fashion. But he had his mother's brown eyes, the exact same shape and color. He was eleven years old, and often known in his town for having the most gorgeous eyes to ever hit a male humans' skin.

The little girl held her mother's hand, her eyes red and puffy with tears. Gray and Kōri exchanged a glance, as the palace's doctor, Wendy, entered. Wendy was famous for being a professional healer at her young age. She checked something over on her clipboard, then wished Evergreen's family a good day before leaving the room.

"Hey, Wendy-San" Gray said, catching her outside of Evergreen's hospital room "How's Evergreen?"

"Well, she's alive," Wendy said, looking at the floor "But that's about it. She's lost a lot of blood, and the cuts are very deep. She's in a coma, no telling when she's going to come of it"

"Did you tell them that?" Kōri asked.

"Yes, but . . ." Wendy sighed "I told them to always have hope. I didn't want to, but in moments like this, you have to give her family the truth straight. No sugarcoating when her life's on the line"

"Do you think she'll be ok?" Gray asked.

"She's here today," Wendy sighed, turning to walk to another hospital room "But I don't know if she will be tomorrow"

o(；△；)o (;*△*;) （´＿｀）

"This has gotten more than serious!" Lucy exclaimed "First Damian, then Lyon, and now Evergreen? Evergreen has kids, Lyon was going to be king! And Damian might have had family, too, and A is just destroying everything!"

"I know," Erza sighed "There has to be a pattern. Why go from killing a servant to killing a prince?"

"Wait . . . technically, Lyon-Sama wasn't a _prince_," Laxus said "He was visiting here, this isn't his kingdom. While Queen Ur is still a queen, and Gray's a prince because he's engaged to Lucy-Dono, Lyon and Ultear are practically citizens. They even have to ask for permission to order the servants"

"So, here, Lyon and Ultear aren't exactly royalty," Natsu said, thinking.

"_Now_ there's a pattern!" Lucy exclaimed, "Look, they're going from the bottom to the top. Think, A started by killing a servant, and he hasn't killed another today because Evergreen is still alive. A servant, a citizen, a court leader. He's going up the working scale"

"So, if that's true . . ." Kōri said "Then why would A add names to that list?"

"To confuse us!" Lucy said "Look, if he adds names to the list, it doesn't affect the pattern. It just delays him from killing me, Laxus, and Erza, since we're at the top of the social food chain. But it will confuse us, and make us question our motives. Did we get another A note after Evergreen went to the hospital?"

"Y-yeah . . ." Laxus said, holding up a piece of parchment "I found this in my office this morning . . . This is all really sickening, people, we can't delay looking for A any longer. People are going to die"

"We know, Laxus-San" Erza said "Please, show us the note"

_Laxus Dreyar,_

_X Lyon Fullbuster,_

_X Damian Miyagi,_

_Lucy Heartfilia,_

_Erza Scarlett,_

_(in progress) Evergreen Strauss,_

_Gildarts Clive. _

_Are you so cruel to keep people dying like this? And I'm the bad guy, here. Pathetic._

_~A _

"Ugh! It's like he's trying to get us to hate him!" Natsu snapped, clenching his fists in anger.

"Calm down, Natsu, we're all furious here" Lucy said, "Now, if we're going up the social scale, its: Damian, Lyon, Evergreen, and then Gildarts. So, basically, we follow Gildarts when he goes out and catch A in the act"

"Sounds perfect," Kōri said, just as Gray burst through the door. Sweat beaded down his forehead, as it was obvious that he had ran here all the way from wherever. He ran a hand through his hair, his breathing heavily.

"I j-just came f-from the h-hospital," Gray panted "Ever—Ever—"

"'Ever' what?" Gajeel asked.

"Ever_green_" Gray took in a breath "Evergreen died this morning"

(ㄒoㄒ) ⊙︿⊙ o(╥﹏╥)o

And for the second time in three days, Natsu was wearing black, holding Lucy close as she cried. Evergreen was high enough on the working scale to have nearly everyone at her funeral, everyone in the royal palace came. Everyone except Queen Ur, who was still mourning her lost son.

When Natsu saw Evergreen's daughter, he almost shouted that Evergreen was still alive. Then he remembered that Evergreen died at the age of twenty-nine, and this little girl was eight. She did look almost exactly like Evergreen, except her eyes were sky blue rather than Evergreen's coffee brown.

And then, there was Elfman. Even though his eyes weren't red, anyone could tell he had been crying. Even without any of the signs. He'd brought the biggest bouquet of flowers, and he'd brought two of them.

One was a regular bouquet, and it would hardly be considered as 'ordinary'. It was huge, and considered roses of every color. Blue, red, pink, white, orange, and yellow, you name it. It could possibly be the most beautiful collection he'd ever seen.

And it was only a possibility because of the bouquet he brought to be buried with his wife. It consisted of fake flowers of nearly every kind, but all of the color white. What stood out about it, though, were the fairies. Porcelain dolls, very tiny, only the size of Natsu's palm, but very delicately made, all dressed as fairies. The fairies were all over the bouquet, holding the flowers, with their wings spread.

"Why would she be buried with fairies?" Natsu asked.

"Because it wasn't flowers she loved," Elfman answered, his voice cracking "It was fairies"

The funeral went on, mainly describing Evergreen as the 'Titania', the Fairy Queen. Natsu realized her love of Fairies when he heard that she named her daughter 'Titania', a name that meant 'the Fairy Queen'. She passed on that title to her daughter in her own way, renouncing her throne to her daughter.

As Natsu held Lucy close, realization hit him like a bucket of ice water. Evergreen's name was on the list, and so was Lucy's. Here Elfman was, forced to live on without the love of his life. Was that going to happen to him, too?

Yes, Lucy was the highest on the social scale. Meaning the bodies would pile up at her feet, the funerals would become more frequent, before A would try to take Lucy's life. And he would only _try_. Natsu would never leave her side, he would always stand by her. A would take his life before he would take Lucy's, that was a promise.

After the ceremony, everyone paid their respects to Evergreen's grave. Natsu was about to leave, when he noticed that only one person was left at Evergreen's grave, and it wasn't Elfman. But it was a little boy that did look a lot like him, the same white hair and the same skin tone.

"Hey, kid" Natsu said, walking over to him "Shouldn't you get going? It's getting late"

The boy looked to him "I just want to stay for a little longer, sir. This is my mom's grave we're talking about, here"

"Oh," Natsu looked to the ground "Sorry, I didn't know"

The boy shrugged, then continued to stare at the grave, as if finding an answer in the stonework. Natsu bit his lip; this couldn't be good for the kid. But he didn't know what he was supposed to say.

"Hey, little brother," Natsu said, not sure what to politely call the boy "What's your name?"

"Cedric," the boy answered, looking up at Natsu "Cedric Strauss. What's your name?"

"Natsu, Natsu Dragneel" Natsu said, then stuck his hands in his tux pocket "How old are you, Cedric-San?"

"Eleven. I don't think it's polite to ask an older persons age," Cedric said "But I'll ask anyway, how old are you?"

_He's Evergreen's son, alright._ Natsu thought with a smirk. He hardly knew Evergreen while she was alive, but he knew her well enough to know that she would say something exactly like that. "I'm seventeen"

"You engaged yet?" Cedric asked.

"I said I'm seventeen!" Natsu exclaimed.

"So? My mom was married and had me at eighteen," Cedric raised an eyebrow "It's a good age. And that blonde girl you follow around, she's engaged to be married. She'll be married by the end of this year, when she's eighteen. It's the perfect age to get married"

_Humans are weird. _Natsu thought. The world was such an open place to a teenager, why would they want to get married at such a young age? Natsu thought that Lucy and Gray were going to stay engaged until, say, the age of twenty-five or twenty-six. Not _eighteen_!

"I guess," Natsu said "But I'm not engaged. I don't think I can get engaged with this damn terrorist running around"

"I hope they catch him," Cedric said.

"Because he killed your mom?" Natsu asked.

Cedric shrugged "That's half of it. The other half is because I don't think any of us can really live unless he's caught. We're alive, but we're living in fear. And in reality, is living in fear really living at all?"

"You're not going to try to catch the terrorist," Natsu's eyes widened "Are you?"

"Are you kidding me? I'm an eleven-year-old boy!" Cedric exclaimed "I'm not big, smart, or strong enough to catch this terrorist. But I know in my gut that someone out there is. And whoever catches him is my hero, even if I never know their name"

"They'd still be your hero?" Natsu raised an eyebrow.

"You don't have to know someone's name for them to be your hero," Cedric answered "You just have to know what kind of person they are. And if anyone catches this terrorist, I'll know _exactly_ what kind of person they are"

Cedric looked up at the sky "You're right, it is getting late. I'll have to go, my dad'll get worried. See you later, Natsu-Niisan"

"See you later, Cedric-Kun" Natsu said, watching Cedric get to his feet and run down to the church, meeting up with his father and his younger sister. Natsu sighed, running a hand through his hair. _Yeah, he's Evergreen's son, alright _Natsu thought with a sigh. Cedric was such a smart kid for his age, he'd be a very wise man one day.

_Evergreen Strauss. Beloved wife, mother, and friend. 1642-1671. _This was why A needed to get caught, because of the people they made suffer. Because of the lives they ended. Evergreen was a mother, and Lyon was a brother. Nobody else was going to suffer because of A.

After all, kids like Cedric needed a hero at times like this.

(❁´◡`❁)*✲ﾟ* (ღ˘⌣˘ღ) ･*:.｡. .｡.:*･ ლ(╹◡╹ლ)

_**Hey, guys, I know this chapter came out late, and I know I promised a chapter every day. But I was pretty busy, first I woke up late, and I updated Somebody That I Used To Know. And then my little sister's birthday is on Monday, and we had a big birthday dinner for her today (yes, she has an FF.N account, Purplecookieninja, Check out her profile). But, if you wanna get technical, I kind of got it in on time, right? **_

_**And Elfman and Evergreen's kids are Titania Mirajane (age eight), and Cedric Laxus (age eleven). I think it made sense for any of the Thunder God Tribe's members to name their kids after Laxus in some ways, even as just a middle name, and the same for Elfman and his big sister. **_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	25. Behind the Mask

_**Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are so awesome. I don't own Fairy Tail, on with the story!**_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Twenty-Five ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * Behind the Mask ~ * ~ ***_

The next day, everyone pretty much avoided each other. And the fact that even the dragons seemed to be avoiding their masters made everything all the more weird. Natsu was in Lucy's room, literally sitting _in_ the fireplace. Kōri was in the gardens, all by herself, making small fairies out of ice just to watch them flutter around.

Even Lucy and Levy, in all their closeness, studied at opposite sides of the library. The thought of finally deciding to hunt down A was unsettling for all of them; they all felt as if they just needed time to think.

But Gray hated being alone, and without Juvia, there was only one other person he wanted for company. He walked to Kōri in the gardens, simply standing next to the stone she was using for a bench.

He reached out, letting a fairy settle in his hand. They were all so delicately made, down to every facial detail. The fairy's wings fluttered, as she danced around on Gray's hand. At some point, she stumbled and lost her balance, grabbing Gray's thumb for support.

"You made these?" Gray asked, Kori gave a small nod, creating another fairy as she put her hands in their Ice-Make stance. She didn't even say the words, as she had completely mastered make ice fairies.

"Practicing" Kōri muttered, holding out her hand for an ice fairy to dance around on.

"They're very good," Gray said, taking a seat next to her "They almost look alive"

Kōri bit her lip, pushing a strand of snow white hair behind her ear, but doing no more than that before she asked "Do you really think we can do it, Gray?"

"Huh?" Gray asked.

"Beating A, or for starters, _finding _A" Kōri said, and all of the fairies began to flutter around their creature, playing with strands of her hair "Do you think we can do it? What if Gildarts isn't even a target tonight, what if the patterns wrong? I don't want to have to risk losing anyone else"

"I don't want to either, but we have to hope" Gray said "I do honestly believe that we can do it. We're three dragons, a War General, a Knight Captain, two royals, and a noblewoman. We're the most capable group to do the job"

"The most capable group to do the job would be a professional detective and an army," Kōri said, raising an eyebrow "Not seven teenagers who just gave in to the job"

"I still think we can do it," Gray smiled "After all, three dragons are equal to an army"

Kōri gave a small laugh "The faith you have in us dragons . . . it really amazes me"

"I don't have faith in just any dragon," Gray smiled "I have faith in _you_"

Kōri smiled, giving him a quick hug. As she did so, her concentration broke, and the fairies' bodies turned to dust. Fading away into the wind, flying off into the horizon like dandelion seeds.

"I think I needed that," Kōri sighed, leaning back on her arms "Thanks, Gray"

"Yeah . . . Kōri, I think you just might be my best friend" Gray said, sighing "Nah, you are my best friend"

"Good, then this whole best-friend-feeling isn't just one-sided" Kōri laughed "I thought it might have just been me for a second there"

"Are you kidding? What would I do without you?" Gray smirked.

"What do you mean 'what would I do'?" Kōri raised an eyebrow "Without me, you'd be _dead_!"

"Hey, I—Nah, you're probably right" Gray shrugged, causing the two of them to break out into laughter. No matter what the situation, no matter how scared he really was, it didn't matter if Kōri was by his side, Kōri and Juvia, that is. But as of today, Juvia was out of the question.

And once he was king, he was going to fix that.

✖‿✖ (*~▽~) (─‿‿─)

Natsu, Kōri, and Gajeel ran along the rooftops, while Lucy and the others skirted along the buildings. Gildarts was walking down the street, his mechanical leg clinking against the street. No other person would have been able to hear it, but Natsu's dragon hearing could pick it up easily.

Natsu's hearing picked up the sound before Gildarts did, but Gildarts heard it, none the less. A very unusual sound, one that sounded like the mixture of a human's footsteps with the scuttling of a spider. Gildarts looked down to where the sound came from, down a long alleyway.

He glanced down the alley, standing on the roof of the house that was neighboring it. Judging by the scent, it wasn't any of them, dragon or human. Gildarts glanced down the alley, walking down it slowly "Hello? Is anyone there—?"

It all happened so fast. A hooded figure leapt out of the shadows, fast as lightning, lashing out what looked to be three very sharp knives at Gildarts. But just as fast, Natsu leapt down, grabbing A's hand at the last moment.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your killing spree" Natsu growled, literally throwing A back. But rather than falling or stumbling like a _normal person_, A did a complete backflip in the air, landing on his feet perfect, sliding them across the ground. Theory proven: A is not human.

"Natsu!" Gildarts exclaimed "You—You saved my life!"

"Thank me later," Natsu said, as A's mouth fell with sudden surprise. But only for a moment, and not a look of pure horror, like he'd planned. But only a tiny look of surprised that Natsu had shown up at all, then he smiled from under the hood.

A dashed forward, knives at the ready, lashing out at Natsu. He dodged it quickly, leaping upwards, landing right behind him. A lashed out at him again, but found that his blades were stuck in a shield of ice.

Kōri leapt down, smirking at A "What's the matter? Can you only kill people when they're not expecting it?"

A gave her a smirk, then completely yanked the knives out of the ice with just one pull, the ice shattering into a million pieces. Kōri's eyes widened; no one had ever been able to break her ice before.

Gejeel leaped down "You guys are being to nice to this guy, just kill the fucker!". His arm turned to iron, as he made lashed out to punch A. A simply grabbed the iron, and completely threw him backwards. Gajeel, however, proved that he was _not_A, when he stumbled and fell to his face.

"Ok," Natsu said, igniting his hands with fire and running towards A "Now things have gotten serious!"

He lashed out a flame-clad fist, as he knew that A could grab iron or ice, but not fire. A ducked, lashing out his foot and making Natsu fall to his face. Rather than in the time they fought Laxus, Natsu pushed himself of the ground with his hands, kicking A in the chest with a flame-clad foot (yes, he could do that).

A fell backwards, but quickly caught himself with his feet. The knifes appeared at his hands (as it seemed, now he had five), and he lashed out at Natsu. They knives snagged his clothing, but even as they just grazed his clothes, they left deep cuts in the fabric. No wonder A killed people so quickly, the knives were so sharp it would just be a 'kill-'n'-run'.

"Ice Make: Axe!" Kōri exclaimed, the axe appearing in her hand, made of the crystal-looking ice material. She lashed out, having no trouble with the weight of the axe. A jumped right over it, lashing out his knives.

Gajeel jumped up the floor, metal arm at the ready. Even as he shot it directly at A, he just grabbed it again, not even moving from the impact. A smiled at Gajeel, his smile sinister, yet happy. Even under his hood, Natsu could have sworn that A had raised an eyebrow in annoyance, as if to say 'really, dude?'.

"You see, Iron Dragon" A hissed, in a voice that was unrecognizable "Fire burns, ice makes weapons, but iron is nothing but hard. And to any strong being, that means absolutely—" with one swift movement, he threw Gajeel backwards "—_nothing!_"

Gajeel growled in annoyance, and possibly the strangest thing Natsu had ever seen happened to his skin. It seemed to replace itself with metal, scales moving over his skin and looking just as hard and durable as regular metal.

"_Iron Dragon's Sword_!" Gajeel exclaimed, his left arm turning into a metal sword, as he lashed it out at A. A caught the sword with his blades, as the two sparred in the middle of the alley way.

Natsu and Kōri exchanged a glance, then Natsu kicked A to the side. Once again, A proved that he was some sort of ninja, by flipping in the air and landing on his feet.

"What's wrong with this guy? He's like some ninja!" Kōri snapped, then got into her stance "Ice Make: Floor!". Her stance seemed different here, rather than her usual stance, she lifted both hands in the air then slammed them against the floor. From her closed palms, the ice spread across the ground, coating the floor in a blanket of ice.

A slipped for a little, then lifted a leg and slammed it against the ice. It started up with a small crack, then it spread until it looked like the web of a spider. Until it finally broke, shattering like glass.

"_How is he breaking my ice_?!" Kōri shrieked.

"Is it impossible to break your ice?" Natsu asked.

"No, I break it all the time. But I'm the only one who _can_ break it!" Kōri snapped "If I make it melt, it melts. If I make it break, it breaks. But no one else can do it! That's the difference between Fire Magic and Ice Magic, magic can't affect the properties of fire, but it can affect the properties of ice"

"I hate to interrupt your little chat," Gajeel snapped "But I'd like to get back to fighting"

"Oh, yeah, right" Kōri said, returning to her stance "Ice Make: Cold Excalibur!" A sword formed in Kōri's hands, as she charged at A. She swung it at him, but with a swipe of his knives, her sword was cut into five pieces, and it completely fell apart in her hands.

"Ugh! Damn you!" Kōri spat, lashing out a fist and punching A across the face. But rather than hesitated from the aftershock of being _punched_, he grabbed her shoulder (still outstretched from hitting him) and threw her on the ground, all lightning fast.

Kōri jumped off the ground, lashing out her foot. A leapt upwards, lashing out his knives. A small cut grazed across Kōri's cheek, the blood dripping down her face, trickling in a single line.

"Kōri!" Gray's voice shouted, as he must have seen Kōri getting hurt. With that, A turned towards the noise, only to get tackled to the ground by Erza. She was in her strongest armor, one that covered nearly every inch of her skin as she pinned A's arms to the ground.

"Erza!" Gajeel snapped "You've done in ten seconds what we've been trying to do for twenty minutes!"

"That's Erza-Sama for you" Kōri and Natsu mutter in unison. Erza growled in annoyance, grabbing A's hood and tossing it back, getting a look at his face. When she recognized who he was, her eyes widened.

"It's you" she whispered.

Ψ(´▽｀)Ψ （ｖ＾＿＾）ｖ (ી(΄◞ิ౪◟ิ‵)ʃ)

_**And yes, that is the end. Not of the entire story, just this chapter. Yeah, I'm totally trolling you guys. You have no idea how fun this is for me, I'm pretty much laughing my ass off here. :3 Even though I bet that most of you are saying "Wait, what . . . what?! That's the end? Aw, fuck you, Ninja!". **_

_**So, my next chapter will come out sometime around Monday or Tuesday. I'm actually in Brazil, and I'm finally traveling back home to the U.S. of A. tomorrow night, and I'm spending a lot of family time on my last day here (which is tomorrow, btw). So I may or may not have enough time to write the next chapter tomorrow, but it will be out by Monday or Tuesday. Promise. **_

_**So, Like it, Love it (I'm afraid to say 'hate it')? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed! **_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	26. Terror Unmasked

_**Hey, guys! Thanks for all the reviews and support. And so, the dreaded question of this fanfiction will be answered in this fanfic: Who. Is. A? And who is he / she working for? He / she is working for "the Master", but who is the Master? **_

_**Many of you believe that "A" is Jellal, and that he is working either with or for King Jude. But is that correct? And if it is, why the hell would they do it? How would Erza react if her loved one is actually a terrorist?**_

_**Find out next chapter. **_

_**I kid, I kid. I wouldn't troll you twice. Thanks for everything, I don't own Fairy Tail. On with the story!**_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter 26 ~ * ~ *  
~ * ~ * Terror Unmasked ~ * ~ ***_

"It's you"

No sooner had she said those words has A reacted, throwing Erza off him and pulling his hood back over his face. She only stumbled a little, before regaining her balance and snapping "How is it _you_?!"

"You've been unmasked," Natsu called, "Now why don't you just give it up and show the rest of us who you are?"

A smiled, as as he did, the blood dripped down from his teeth and down his chin. Without another word, he drew back his hood, showing his face to all of them. Lucy decided to speak first.

"Y-you're supposed to be dead" She whispered.

"And how many of you are happy to see me alive?" Damian Miyagi asked, showing his pointed canines in a wide grin, causing more of the blood to drip down his chin "You may want to get the hell out of here, Gildarts, this has nothing to do with you"

Natsu turned, seeing that Gildarts had yet to leave the scene. Natsu nodded at him, as Gildarts turned to leave. This wasn't his fight, he had no reason to stay behind. Gildarts knew that, perhaps that was why he left without a fight.

"How are you A? Loki found your body!" Erza snapped

"Ah! Another reason to why I am a genius," Damian smiled, leaning back on his left leg and studying his nails "Faking my death was something easy, plus that 'Loki' fellow is a complete moron"

"I-if y-you're alive . . ." Gray asked, stepping forward "Is . . . Is Lyon ok, too. . .?"

"Oh, you _wish_Princey-boy" Damian laughed as if the death of Gray's brother was funny to him "I killed him myself, that 'Ever' chick, too. He died quickly, like the pathetic maggot he is—"

"Shut up!" Gray snapped "Kōri, follow your orders! Kill the Blondie!"

Kōri flinched as mark glowed under the fabric of her shirt "Gray, he could still tell us something. How can you be A? Damian you were the sorriest, clumsiest, weakest thing on campus grounds! You put your own name on the killings list, you made Laxus beat you up! Why would you do it? _How_would you do it?"

"Ah, so many questions. And all of them are so damn _stupid_" Damian sighed, rolling his blue eyes "But, since you're going to die anyways, I might as well give you some closure. I was only needed around noon, all the killings happened at night. I thought you seven were smart enough to figure out that I was the only one who could go in and out of the palace unnoticed at night"

"That—That's right . . ." Erza whispered.

"As for being A," Damian continued, "I figured I needed to get you off my trail, but now I know that wasn't needed. Making myself look dead was easy, and to be honest, Damian Miyagi died a long time ago. I'm just using his body"

"What are you talking about?" Gray snapped "You look just like Damian! You _are _Damian!"

"Now, are you sure I'm Damian?" Damian raised a mocking, puzzled eyebrow, then took what looked to be a necklace out from under his shirt "Now . . . maybe I'm your big, dead brother". In a flash of light, Damian was gone, and Lyon Fullbuster was standing in his place.

"L-Lyon . . .?" Gray muttered, his eyes widened. Even though he had just watched Damian turn into Lyon, his heart raced in his ears, all in the adrenaline of seeing his big brother alive once more. Lyon smiled, taking a step forward.

"Oh, the things I did for you, Little Brother" Damian-Lyon said, smiling "I even died for you. But you don't care. You hated me, even while I took my last breath. Even when I gave my last word begging for your safety"

"R-really . . . I d-didn't . . . I d-didn't hate you L-Lyon, I s-swear . . ." Gray was beginning to tear up, only glistening in his eyes, as he didn't want anyone to see him cry "I s-swear I d-don't hate you . . ."

"He's messing with you, Gray!" Laxus exclaimed, then growled at Damian-Lyon "You sick, _sick monster_"

Damian-Lyon laughed, then flashed his necklace at them. It was a simple, sturdy black rope, with three silvery orbs around it, looking a bit like metallic pearls. They were fastened onto the necklace, engraved with a single letter each: "D", "L", and "E".

"I collect the souls of whom I kill, it's a little hobby that's grown on me" Damian-Lyon smirked "With this soul, I can copy their looks and voice, I gain knowledge of their memories and personalities. Judging by what I know, I did all of them a favor by killing them. Lyon had this simply annoying little brother that just kept trying to take what was his. Ring a bell, Gray?"

Gray gritted his teeth in annoyance, the tears still glinting in his eyes "Shut up"

"And Damian," in another flash, he was back looking like Damian Miyagi "That poor soul was near suicide, anyway. He'd been terrified of the world since his house burned down in the Fiore Wildfire, killing everyone he ever loved. So sad," he wiped a mocking tear from his eye "If he wasn't so pathetic I'd be in tears"

Lucy's fists clenched, remembering how nice Damian was to her when she was a child. He was always a few years older than her, when she was seven, he was twelve, and he quickly became one of her favorite servants. He made her her favorite snacks, and he was the one who taught her how to read. Now here A was, abusing his memory by making him say things he never would have said.

"Then there was Evergreen," in another flash, Evergreen was in his place, in her own clothing. Perhaps the forms kept them in the clothing they died in. "She had two screaming brats at home, and not to mention an over-obsessive husband who had more of an ego than a brain. I think I did her the best when I killed her—"

"_I've had enough of you!_" Gray snapped, his eyes angry as a single and only tear fell "_Kill him, Kōri! Kill him _now!"

"With pleasure," Kōri growled, rushing forward "Talon of the Ice Dragon"

Damian-Evergreen leapt out of the way, landing right behind them "As for the rest of my happy story, I came here and found some unfinished business. A cult called the Holy Servants, trying to make right of this world. And so, A was born. In case you're wondering" Damian-Evergreen smirked "A stands for my real name. Now I can finally get out of this damned form"

In another flash, Evergreen turned into someone none of them recognized. A boy, his hair was as black as a raven's wings, mixed with blood red, his eyes as sneaky and evil as a spider's. And like most spiders, his eyes were a yellow-gold, the pupil slit like a snake's.

"Who are you?" Natsu breathed "_What _are you?"

"Time for me to formally introduce myself," he gave a low bow "I am Akujin, the servant, more commonly known as A. And I," his golden eyes flashed with evil "am a demon of the worst kind, one straight from the darkest pits of hell. And I promise you, that is exactly where you're going when I'm done with you".

"You were part of the first Fiore Wildfire, weren't you?" Natsu snapped "It was always you, there is no Master!"

"No, no, there's a Master" Akujin smirked "There was always a Master. Yes, the first Fiore Wildfire was partially me, too. But the first Master wasn't hardly as good as the second one, and the first was Ivan Dreyar"

Laxus's eyes widened, and Akujin smirked "Ah, yes, Laxus. Daddy is a fugitive, and Daddy is a dead man. Unfortunately, I'm not exactly what you call a planner. I only destroy, and so, it had to end. But all these years later, a new Master has come along. There is hope for this world, yet"

"Why would you do it? What do you have to gain from all of this?!" Kōr spat.

"You could say . . . out of loyalty, and love for a certain someone" Akujin smiled, then turned "You might as well come out now. They'll be dead soon anyway"

A figure came out of the shadows, the heels of expensive shoes clicking against the cobblestones. The Master overlooked everyone with cold, somewhat sad eyes. But in the end, the Master's gaze landed on Gray.

"N-no . . ." Gray muttered, his voice getting louder with every word "There has to be some mistake . . . It can't be you! It can't be!"

"I'm sorry you had to find out like this, Gray" Ultear Fullbuster said, straightening her posture "I didn't want it to end like this. But you can bet everything that this isn't a mistake"

"Can I kill them now, Master?" Akujin said, excitedly, like a little kid on Christmas "You _promised_ I could be the one to kill the dragons! Oh, I can just _taste _their blood"

Ultear took in a breath, then said, almost proudly "Go ahead"

⊙０⊙ w(°ｏ°)w L(・o・)」

_**There you have it, folks! You know you A is, and who the Master is. I'm afraid this cliffhanger isn't as good as the last one, but it'll do, right? :) So are you shocked, surprised, or did you see that one coming? I'd like to know, this is my first time writing a mystery / suspence fanfic. Sorry if I spelled that wrong. **_

_** Oh, and I called this chapter "Terror Unmasked", because I was stupid so I thought I could shorten "terrorist" and make it "terror". Just to sound dramatic. I only realized later that it was a bit of a fail and couldn't think of anything better. :/ **_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_  
_**Ninja**_


	27. The Tides Have Turned

_**Hey, everybody. Thanks for all the reviews, I really appreciate it. Past 300 reviews! You guys are amazing. :3 And a little review: A is a demon named Akujin, who can take the forms of the people he kills. The Master is actually Ultear, but the real question is, why? Why would she have her own brother killed, what does she have to gain from all of this? **_

_**All will be reviewed soon, my pretties. **_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Twenty-Seven ~ * ~ *  
~ * ~ * The Tides Have Turned ~ * ~ * **_

"Go ahead"

Gray could see the knives; they came from his finger tips. They were five long blades, one sprouting from each finger, and ten razor-sharp blades in total. Akujin hissed, showing needle-sharp fangs, as he smiled and leapt towards them.

Natsu let out a breath of flames, which Akujin simply sliced through with his blades like butter. The tips of the blades left three slashes across Natsu's cheek, causing the blood to drip down.

"Natsu!" Lucy shirked, trying to run forward, but Gray grabbed her arms and forced her to stay back.

"Kōri, attack!" Gray snapped "Kill him, kill Akujin! But leave Ultear to me"

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Little Brother" Ultear whispered, literally leaping over Akujin and landing right in front of Kōri, Gray, and Lucy.

"Gray—" Kōri started.

"Did you not hear me, before?" Gray spat. "Kill Akujin, but leave Ultear to me! Lucy, Levy, back me up if I need any help"

"Gotcha!" Levy and Lucy exclaimed in unison, giving him an army solute as they lingered behind the fights.

Out from under his hood, Akujin was a better fighter than before. Five blades instead of two, he lashed out at Kōri, his blades slicing right through her ice sword. Natsu reached out to punch Akujin in the face, but he caught his fist and flipped him backwards.

"Ultear, why are you doing this?!" Gray asked. Ultear stood motionless, staring at him as she gripped onto her own arm.

"You wouldn't understand," Ultear whispered, looking up at him with her cold brown eyes "This is all for the greater good, Gray".

"Iron Dragon's Club!" Gajeel exclaimed, the scales covering his body once again as his left arm turned into an iron, spiked club. He swung it at Akujin, who finally took a hit to the chest. He soared back, slamming into the wall.

He got over the impact quickly, as he pushed him self off the wall, implanting a well-coordinated kick on Gajeel's chest. Normally, that wouldn't be enough to move Gajeel, but instead he soared backwards, slamming into a wall. Leaving a nice Gajeel-shaped dent in it.

"_Good_? None of this is _good_!" Gray spat "Killing innocent people and burning down noble houses! You _killed your own brother! You're little brother, Ultear! He trusted you, he loved you and you killed him!_"

"_This isn't what you think it is!_" Ultear shrieked.

"Talon of the Ice Dragon!" Kōri exclaimed, lashing out her hand. Claws of ice darted from her fingertips, cutting into Akujin's skin. Only a single one pierced his skin, as he caught the other two and threw them back at her. She grunted in pain, the blood dripping down her side.

"This is exactly what I think it is!" Gray snapped "Lyon is dead and it's _all your fault_! You killed my brother! How could you?!"

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" Natsu exclaimed; the flames enclosed around his fist as he punched Akujin on the jaw. His head fell backwards, but he came back immediately, lashing out his blades. He cut Natsu across the chest, leaving five slash marks across his shirt, the blood staining his shirt.

"You . . . you . . ." Ultear clenched her fists, literally shaking in pure rage "You _bastard_ . . . how dare you say that to me when I . . . I . . ."

As fast as lighting, she drew her jagged dagger from her belt, holding it high, preparing to strike her little brother in the heart "_I did all of this for you_!"

Gray's eyes widened, his mouth fell open. He froze, unable to move or run. He wasn't even able to close his eyes; he stared in horror as Ultear clutched the knife, yet now lowering it to stab him.

Ultear's eyes watered with tears, her grip loosening as the dagger slipper from her fingertips. Gray looked to his big sister, the look in his eyes asking the same question: _why_?

"Master, what are you doing?!" Akujin hissed, looking over from his fight with the three dragons "Don't just stand there, kill him!"

"I . . . I can't" Ultear whispered, turning "I can't kill him, Akujin, you have to understand—"

Lucy screamed in horror as Akujin dashed past the dragons, stabbing Ultear straight in the chest. The five blades going straight through her chest, appearing blood red from behind her, as they had literally gone straight through her body. Akujin jerked them right out of her, the blood dripping from the blades.

Ultear's mouth fell open, the blood blossoming on her dress, blooming like a crimson flower. She fell backwards, her eyes glassy and lifeless. The Master was dead before she even hit the ground.

"You weak, useless bitch!" Akujin snapped "What use are you to me if you're just another _human_?!"

Gray's mouth fell open, staring at the body of his big sister. His fists clenched in anger, as he lashed out and punched Akujin across the face, so hard he staggered.

"You killed her! You killed my sister!" Gray growled, rushing over and tacking Akujin to the ground.

"_I'll kill you!_"

*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:* (⌒▽⌒) ⊂((・▽・))⊃

_**Hey, sorry this chapter was so short. But I included a big fight! The next chapter will be much longer, and it will explain three things: why Ultear became the Master, how Ultear became the Master, and how Ultear met Akujin. So look forward to that. **_

_**Anyway, like it, love it, hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	28. the Birth of the Master

_**In this chapter, there is a blast from the past. All will be revealed! Ultear may be out of character, but I'm trying to make a good story, people! Forget the charactering. Now the big three power questions: why is Ultear the Master? How is Ultear the Master? How did Ultear meet Akujin? All will be answered in this Blast from the Past! **_

_**I don't own Fairy Tail, on to the story!**_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Twenty-Eight ~ * ~ *  
~ * ~ * the Birth of the Master ~ * ~ ***_

When Gray was born, Ultear Fullbuster was eight. She was able to hold her little brother in her arms, count his fingers and toes. She couldn't remember it when Lyon was born, back then she was about four. But she saw her youngest brother and knew he was perfect to her, she would do anything to protect him.

And so, she watched him grow. Whenever Ur couldn't care for Gray, she rushed to her aid. She would do anything to keep Gray safe and happy; she wanted his life to be as perfect as she wanted it to be.

But why couldn't anyone else see Gray's perfection as well as she could? During dinner, she overheard the talk, back when Gray was sixteen. A nobleman had said that Gray wasn't fit to be king: he left the kingdom for four years; he wasn't smart enough, and not nearly as good as Lyon.

That bastard . . . he couldn't see that Gray could do anything he put his mind to? If he just gave him a chance, he would see that Gray was much better than Lyon. Well, fine. If some noble was going to treat her precious little brother like dirt, he was going to pay for it.

Ultear had snuck out at midnight, clocked in black to blend in to the night. The nobleman's house was easy to find, she'd only needed to steal a few maps from her mother's office. And so, she drew five matches and set fire to the house. The fire's reflected in her eyes, forever dancing in her brown eyes as she watched the house fall to ashes.

"That was quite a show you put on, Gorgeous"

Ultear whirled around, seeing that her hood had fallen when the house had burned down. She counted her prayers that whoever saw would never tell, that her secret would be safe. She just wanted to get revenge for her brother, the revenge Gray didn't know he needed. Ultear herself had only overheard the conversation from her mother and the nobleman.

But something told her that this man wasn't going to tell a soul. His hair was raven black, mixed with blood red, his eyes a yellow-gold color. His knifed hands were covered in blood; he reached down and licked the blood right of his knives.

"Who—who are you?" Ultear asked, pulling her hood back over her head.

"No need to hide, I've already seen your face" he said, smiling as the blood dripped down his chin "Now I was just going around for a Midnight feeding when I saw that. I think you can be a very promising partner for me, sweetheart"

"Are you a vampire?" Ultear asked.

"No, darling, I am Akujin, the Blade Demon" he smiled, showing the long, razor blades on his hands to prove the point of his name "Now that I told you who I am, can't you tell me who you are? Just to repay me, of course"

"I—I am Ultear Fullbuster, princess of Fiore, firstborn daughter and child to Ur Fullbuster" Ultear said, straightening her posture so she stood tall and proud in front of the Blade Demon.

"Ah, well then, I believe I have a proposition for you, Princess" Akujin smiled "Have you ever heard of the Fiore Wildfire? Well, I believe we can do it again. Make the world pure, and when it's all done, your little brother will rule all of it"

"How do you know about Gray?" Ultear asked.

"I see all, hear all, and know all. I know exactly why you're doing this" Akujin smiled "We of the Holy Servants—we need a leader, a Master. And you can do just that, Ultear. So what do you say, Master?"

Ultear hesitated, thinking. The world would be a holy place, a place rid of all sin. And Gray would be the one to rule all of it, no noble scum holding him back. She smiled, nodding at Akujin.

"I'm in"

(•ิ_•ิ) (/•ิ_•ิ)/ （ΦωΦ）

The game they invented was simple; one Ultear had named "report". She was to tell Akujin "report", and he would tell her everything from the palace eyes point of view.

Ultear sat at her desk in her room, in front of her mirror with all of her make-up tools around her. When Akujin wasn't disguised as Damian Miyagi, a palace servant he killed as soon as he entered Magnolia, he acted as her faithful partner, taking notes and making studies.

"Akujin," Ultear said, taking a comb and running it through her long, black hair "Report. What's my little brother's fiancée been up to? Who exactly is she, that is"

"Gray is engaged to marry a girl named Lucy Heartfilia, she is seventeen years old. A very smart, bookworm of a girl" Akujin said, not looking up from his notes "She studies daily around the castle, her mother died when she was six. Approximately three years ago, she showed up at the castle with a mysterious new bodyguard, Natsu Dragneel, a boy her own age. He never leaves her side"

"Interesting," Ultear sighed, applying a coat of blood red lipstick "And love sick suitors or other boys I should be worried about? Any love rivals for Gray?"

"To be honest, since Natsu is a dragon—" Akujin started.

"Natsu is a dragon?!" Ultear exclaimed, whipping her head around.

"Yes, it was easy to tell. I would think he would keep his mark in a more . . . hidden place, rather than his wrist" Akujin rolled his eyes "But yes, he is a dragon. Her guardian"

"Like Kōri?" Ultear asked; clipping back her hair with diamond pins.

"Yes," Akujin said, "But I don't think Dragneel is an Ice Dragon, and I'm beginning to believe we should worry more about him. I think he has feelings for Lucy. Male dragons believe that whoever they mark is 'theirs' forever"

"But female dragons don't?" Ultear asked.

"No, we don't have to worry about Kōri" Akujin said, then his eyes got wide "Remember the deal we made about dragons, Master, I beg of you! You said I'd be the one to kill the dragons—!"

"And I'm not going to break that promise;" Ultear said "We don't need to worry about Natsu. He'll do anything for Lucy's wellbeing, he's not a problem. Is there any human I should worry about?"

"Yes, there is one boy that is hopelessly in love with Lucy," Akujin said with a roll of his eyes "A man named Dan Straight. It's incredibly one-sided, though"

"Does he have a chance?" Ultear asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If Lucy completely lowered her standards, maybe" Akujin said "But honestly, Master, he's no threat—"

"Kill him" Ultear said.

"What?" Akujin asked.

"Gray needs to be king, which means he needs to marry Lucy Heartfilia" Ultear said; coating her lips a darker shade of lipstick "If she has an affair with Dragneel, he'll still make her marry Gray because it's better for her, too. But if she has an affair with Dan Straight, he might make her refuse to marry Gray. We can't take that chance. Kill him"

"Ultear, don't you think you're being a bit irrational—?" Akujin started.

"_Are you deaf, Akujin?!_" Ultear shrieked "Kill him! Kill Dan Straight! That is an order!"

Akujin's eyes widened in surprise, and then he smiled "I see why you're my Master now, Ultear. He'll be dead by morning, I promise"

"While you're at it," Ultear said, "set fire to the Conbolt home, but don't burn it down completely. Theirs is only a warning".

(❁´◡`❁)*✲ﾟ* (ღ˘⌣˘ღ) ･*:.｡. .｡.:*･ ლ(╹◡╹ლ)

"_Akujin, I hate you!_" Ultear shrieked, grabbing the nearest thing and throwing it at him. She'd grabbed a paperweight and it hit him, straight in the head. Any other day, he would have turned and cut it to pieces, but this time, Ultear caught him off guard.

"Ow! Master, what was that for?" Akujin asked.

"You fucking moron!" Ultear snapped "I didn't give you any orders on who to kill next! Why the fuck did you kill Lyon?! You killed my brother you lowly piece of shit!"

"Master, please listen to reason," Akujin said, walking towards his Master "Everyone looked to Lyon like he was better than Gray; Lyon made him feel like he was worthless. Now that Lyon's dead, Gray can be the king of Fiore _and _Ōkoku!"

Ultear hesitated "Yes, that . . . that would be better that usual . . ."

"Think of all you've done so Gray can be king," Akujin reminded her "Having Juvia arrested so he won't give up on being king for her, killing Dan so Lucy stays focused. And now he can get something even better, he can be the king of two nations combined"

Akujin laid his hands on her shoulders, then whispered in her ears "And you'll be right by his side, his faithful protector. Think about it, Master. You're almost there"

Ultear hesitated, and then nodded. She would do anything to make Gray king, to keep him happy. All of this, it wasn't for a holy world, not to Ultear that is. It was for Gray.

But Ultear didn't want to have to loose Lyon, even if this was partially her fault, even if she was never close to Lyon, the tears she cried at his funeral were genuine.

_Lyon_, Ultear thought as a tear fell down her cheek. _I'm so sorry. _

(^^)-(^^)-(^^)-(^^)-(^^)

_**And that's chapter 28. I hope that explained something, and if it didn't, I'll explain next chapter. Hope you enjoyed! Nothing to say, really, except an epic fight will happen next. **_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	29. the Final Stand

_**Thanks for all the reviews! You guys seemed to understand it pretty well; it was pretty much Akujin's fault. He was sort of manipulating Ultear's mind by saying she was protecting and helping Gray (whom she was obsessed with protecting and keeping happy). **_

_**So, onto the chapter, I don't own Fairy Tail. **_

_**~ * ~ * Chapter Twenty-Nine ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * the Final Stand ~ * ~ ***_

"_You killed my sister! I'll kill you_!" Gray didn't have any weapons, and he was practically a toddler against a dinosaur. But he didn't care, he didn't think about his odds. All he wanted was to tear Akujin to pieces, to do to him what he did to Ultear.

Gray had tackled Akujin to the floor, punching him in the face until he actually drew blood. The blood of a demon is as black as its soul, like ink, pouring out onto the cobblestones.

With a single punch to the jaw, Akujin sent Gray flying backwards. But no matter the pain in his chest, how his back hurt and how the blood came from his nose and onto his chin, he dashed forward. Driven by rage and pure hatred, he charged at Akujin.

Akujin stood motionless, then drew three of his blades and lashed out at Gray. Three perfect shots to the chest, three slashes across his chest. The blood bloomed, and then dripped down his shirt as the impact sent him sprawling backwards.

"Gray!" Kōri shouted, rushing forward.

"You put up quite a good fight, Prince" Akujin smirked "But not good enough. Do you want to know why Ultear did all of that? Because of you. She wanted to protect her whittle Gray-Chan. I threw the knife, but I'm not the one who killed her"

"No . . ." Gray muttered, blinking hard and squinting his eyes, preventing tears from falling. Tears that were of pain, but not physical pain, as he felt his heart breaking. "No, you're . . . you're lying to me . . ."

"What would I have to gain from lying to you?" Akujin smirked "I may have thrown that knife, Gray, but you killed you're sister. You're the real murder here, not me!"

"_You're lying to me_!" Gray shouted, rushing forward, lashing out a fist and punching him once more across the face "Why would you lie to me?! You're killing everyone I love, is that not bad enough for you?!"

"Gray, stop it! You'll only kill yourself!" Kōri shouted.

"What do I have to live for anymore?" Gray spat, "I don't want to keep on living as long as he's alive!"

"Somebody stop him! He'll kill himself!" Lucy shrieked.

All at dragon speed, Natsu dashed forward, grabbing Gray by the shoulder and slamming him into the brick wall. Gray opened his mouth to protest, but Natsu quickly and forcibly punched him in the stomach. Gray let out a gasp, as the punch had knocked the air right out of his lungs. He fell to his knees, his eyes going to Kōri as he whispered one last command:

"K- Kōri . . . kill him . . . I o-order you to . . . kill him . . ." Gray muttered, before he fell forward, out cold. Perhaps this was better for him, if he had continued trying to fight Akujin, he would have died for sure.

"Yes, Master" Kōri whispered, ripping the fabric covering her mark off. On her front shoulder blade was the mark of every Dragon Guardian; of a dragon curling into a circle, biting its own tail to complete the cycle. The dragon injuring itself showed that a Dragon Guardian was to do whatever it took to protect whoever bared the star, even if it hurt them. And it was a mark Kōri she was going to bear with pride.

Following her lead, Gajeel ripped the fabric off his shoulder, showing the same mark. Though his was black as iron, Kōri's was a dark blue, and Natsu's was flame red. Natsu ripped the fabric covering his right wrist as he faced Akujin. For if the three dragons were to go down, they were going to do it as Guardians.

"Now this is what I've been waiting for," Akujin smirked, licking his lips "The taste of a dragon's blood"

"_Well, you're not going to get it_!" Natsu snapped as both of his fists enclosed in flames "Talon of the Fire Dragon!"

He lashed out both hands, the flames going at Akujin like claws. At top speed, Akujin dashed between all of the flames, lashing out his blades at Natsu. Natsu leapt backwards, avoiding them at last minute.

"Ice Make: Floor!" Kōri exclaimed, slamming he fists onto the ground. A blanket of ice covered the ground, and Akujin noticed it too late. He slipped and fell backwards, giving Gajeel just enough time to slam him in the chest with an arm made entirely of iron.

The impact was enough to crack the ice around Akujin, and he spat out a bit of ink-black blood. He growled in annoyance, kicking Gajeel off of him and drawing all ten blades from his hands.

"Time to die, _Guardians_" Akujin spat, running forward with all blades at the ready "Have fun in _hell_!"

"_Roar of the Fire Dragon_!" Natsu exclaimed at what seemed to be last minute. A funnel of fire leapt from his mouth, like a tornado made completely of flame. Akujin's eyes widened in surprise as the flames hit him straight in the chest, a spell he'd never seen before.

Fire can be controlled, fire can be created, and fire can be manipulated. Fire Mages and dragons before had found fire to be their end. But breathing fire, being fire _proof_, was something dragons hadn't done in a long time. Contrary to all myths and legends, fire is alive and dangerous. Breathing fire in any way should be impossible.

"Can we do that?" Gajeel asked, confused.

"Worth a shot," Kōri shrugged, and then exclaimed "Roar of the Ice Dragon!" A funnel of what seemed to be all things of ice, a blizzard in a funnel, leapt from her mouth and hit Akujin in the chest.

"Roar of the Iron Dragon!" Gajeel shouted, as a black-and-gray funnel of all things metal leapt from his open mouth.

Three elements: fire, ice, and metal. All combined in a single attack, all aimed at a single demon in question. Akujin couldn't take it, as he felt backwards and slammed into a brick wall. He was shivering because of the cold, sweating because of the heat, and covered in blood from the scratches and burns that the elements had caused him.

"You . . . you can't kill me . . ." Akujin whispered, staggering before falling to his knees. He coughed up black blood onto the ground, dragging himself forward with his hands "It's impossible . . . I'm a demon, I c-can't die . . . it wasn't supposed to end like this . . ."

"First stage of death:" Natsu said "Denial"

"_No!_" Akujin snapped; his eyes wide as he smiled, showing his bloodstained teeth "It will not end like this! The Holy Servants came back a second time, and they'll come back a third time! And when they do, they'll avenge me! All of you will die, _all of you_! This isn't over!"

Natsu planted a well-aimed kick in Akujin's chest, as the demon let out a last gasp for breath. The Blade Demon fell to the ground, coughing and staining the ground with specks of blood.

". . . _Obliviscar_ . . . _Numquam _. . . _Dimitte_ . . ." Akujin whispered, before his golden-yellow eyes went glassy and lifeless. Natsu took a step back, overlooking the bodies of Ultear and Akujin. After all this time, all the endless searching and fighting, A and the Master were dead.

"What he said . . . it was is Latin" Lucy said, taking a step forward "It means 'never forget, never forgive'. Natsu . . . is this . . . is it really over?"

Natsu sighed, looking to Lucy. To her brown eyes and blonde locks, skin like porcelain and lips like cherries. Her eyes were full of so much sadness for one so young, as her seventeen-year-old eyes had seen much too many deaths, and had experienced much sadness. The same look was in the eyes of Gray, and Natsu knew that look of sadness was never going to leave their eyes. No matter what he did.

"It's over" Natsu whispered "it's finally over".

(〃￣д￣)八( ￣д￣ )八(￣д￣〃)

"_No_!"

Lucy grabbed Natsu by the arm, clutching onto his shoulder. It shouldn't have been enough to keep him from moving, and it wasn't, not physically. But the fact that Lucy was the one holding on to him made him glued to the spot.

"Lucy . . . let go" Natsu whispered, giving her a light shove. But he didn't have the heart to put much force into moving her.

"No! You're not going anywhere!" Lucy snapped, her eyes watering with tears "You aren't going to leave me, Natsu! I order you to stay!"

Natsu felt his mark glow, but he looked to Lucy with the regret in his eyes "I'm sorry, Lucy. There's a law I didn't tell you about, an exception to a Master's orders. If it's for their safety, we're allowed to break orders. And this is for your safety"

"Natsu . . ." Lucy whispered, gritting her teeth in anger as the tears spilled down her cheeks "_How is this for my safety_? I need you, Natsu!"

"I know . . ." Natsu sighed "We need to make sure that the Holy Servants won't come back again. We can't let history repeat itself. If they come back again, you'll be in danger. I can't let that happen again . . . I'm sorry" Natsu took her face in his hands, wiping away her tears with his thumb "I'll be back soon; I'll come to visit you. I promise"

"When will you be back, when will you visit me?" Lucy asked, blinking hard to keep the tears from falling.

Natsu bit his lip, taking her in his arms and hugging her close. He couldn't answer that question, for he honestly didn't know when he'd be back. He kissed the top of her head, and breathed in her scent. For this could be the last time he saw her.

"_Not you, too_!" Gray snapped at Kōri "First Lyon, then Ultear . . . you can't leave me, too, Kōri! You can't!"

"I'm sorry, Gray" Kōri said, looking to the floor "But . . . your safety comes before your happiness. I'll come back and see you sometime"

"No! You . . . you and Ur . . . you're the only ones I have left" Gray whispered.

Kōri gave a small smile, even though her eyes were full of sadness and regret "Now, now, everything will be alright. I'm not the only one you have left. Work on getting Juvia back in Fiore, Gray. It'll be worth it, I promise"

Gray blinked quickly, reaching forward and hugging Kōri around the shoulders. She bit her lip, returning the hug as a single, silvery tear fell down her cheek, staining Gray's jacket. She took one last breath of his scent; one that she'd lived with for so long, before she left it for good.

"Gajeel!" Levy started, but he cut her off quickly. He took her face in his hands and kissed her, right on the mouth. Everyone else was too preoccupied with their own situations to notice, but it was enough for Levy.

Gajeel didn't know how he ever doubted her of being the right material for being his mate. She was perfect, in every way, and she didn't need to change to fit his needs. He only hoped she'd be the same, that she'd feel the same about him, when he saw her again. For he realized the truth too late.

"I'll be back," he said simply "I promise"

On the tenth month of the year, a day where leaves fell in crisp shades of red and orange, three dragons left their Masters. To track down every last member of the Holy Servants alliance, to keep history from repeating itself.

There was Kōri Hiryū, the Ice Dragon. She was the girl who had lost everything at the age of thirteen, the girl whose rage and sadness destroyed a town. She was the girl who tried to kill herself in the icy mountains, before her Master saved her from her frozen tomb. She wore the jacket of her Master, the prince Gray Fullbuster, who was her best friend in the world.

There was Gajeel Redfox, the Iron Dragon. He was the boy whose father abandoned him at the age of fifth teen, the boy who fought in arenas for money. He was the boy who was close to no salvation before his Master saved him from near insanity. He wore the medallion of Levy McGarden, who was the one he loved with all his heart.

And there was Natsu Dragneel, the Fire Dragon. He was the boy who saw his house burn to ashes at the age of thirteen, the boy who became an assassin at the age of fifth teen. He was the boy who nearly faded to shadows covered in his past's red stains before his master saved him. On his left hand, he wore the ring of Lucy Heartfilia, who was his Soul Mate.

As all three dragons left the kingdom of Fiore, they left a promise. A promise they were all determined to keep.

ヽ(´Д｀)人(´Д｀)人(´Д｀)ノ〜

_**This is pretty much the last chapter of the story, but it's not the end. I will write an epilogue for this, don't worry. You still have one more chapter. We are now nearing the end of this story. **_

_**Like it, Love it, Hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed!**_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja **_


	30. Epilogue

_**~ * ~ * Chapter 30 ~ * ~ ***_

_**~ * ~ * Epilogue ~ * ~ ***_

"Mother, look what I can do!"

She was a girl of fourteen, with hair like rays of sunlight and eyes like black pearls. She looked so much like Lucy, but her skin tone was different, and the eyes on this girl were ones that weren't Lucy's. Her name was Summer, Princess Summer.

Lucy brushed a lock of blonde hair off her forehead and behind her ear as she set down her book, and then smiled at her daughter "Yes, darling, I'm looking"

Summer's brow furrowed, as she drew an arrow, fast as lightning. In a spit second, the tip of the arrow was lit on fire as she fired it. It hit a perfect bull's-eye, setting the dartboard on fire and falling to ashes.

There was boy, one at the age of fifth teen, with hair a dark shade of blue, with eyes a shade of blue just as dark and skin a few shades darker than snow. He liked to sit by the fountain and play in the water; he had an obsession with water itself. His name was Koran, Prince Koran, or Kōri, for short.

"Show off," Kōri scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Cedric and Titania taught it to me, Ma, the fire part I figured out on my own" Summer said proudly, hands on her hips, smiling widely. Just as a column of water came from the fountain, drenching her from head to toe.

"See, see that? He's not allowed to do Water Magic, is he mom?" Summer exclaimed widely, shaking an accusing finger at Kōri, who was only smirking happily as he pretended to read his book "At least not on me! And I'm the show off?! I want to see my lawyer!"

"Now, now, calm down. Kōri-Kun, don't use magic on your sister," their nanny and pretend "aunt", Juvia Lockser, said with a caring smile "And Su-Chan, I know you were showing off. You're not fooling anyone"

"But, Aunt Juvia—!" Summer and Kōri exclaimed in unison.

"No 'but's," Juvia narrowed her eyes, but her tone was hardly serious or demanding "Su-Chan, go get dry. Kōri-Kun, I believe it's time for you to start your studies"

The two children sighed, running up to their rooms. Queen Lucy smiled at her old friend, the brightness of her eyes had remained from the time when she was seventeen; even though know she was nearing the age of thirty-four.

"What would I do without you, Ju-Chan?" Lucy smiled.

"Juvia believes that it would be hard for Lucy-Sama to survive here without her," Juvia smiled, walking up the stairs. Lucy lay back, letting the sun soak in her face. She began to think, to wonder . . .

The girl who plays with fire . . .

The boy who dances in the rain . . .

In spirit, they were both her children, but only the girl was by blood. She'd had named her daughter, her only child, as a token to the man she loved. Natsu, the name that mean 'summer' . . . if he saw her, would he be proud?

But Summer Fullbuster would never know that King Gray was not actually her father. For she smiled at him and called him 'Daddy', for she ran to him with thunder scared her as a child. But only as a child, as she held her father's spirit, to spit in the eye of fear and claim that it didn't exist to her. She challenged everything she found intimidating; she felt a need to prove herself to everyone, to give everything in anything she did. In that way, she was much like her father, her real father.

And Koran Fullbuster would never know that the one he called 'Aunt' was really his mother. For in all his intelligence, he never noticed that his hair color was exact to Juvia's. But he looked so remarkably like his father, nobody seemed to notice that he shared none of Lucy's looks. All that mattered to him was being the best wizard he could be; and to beat his sister so badly she would never challenge him again. In that way, he was like his father.

Lucy never knew if Juvia regretted her choice of handing her son over to Lucy, to allow her to play the part of his mother in raising him. Whenever she asked, Juvia would respond that she was fine. But Lucy could see the sliver of sadness that her eyes always held, she saw how it pained her when Kōri called Lucy 'mother'.

And so, they were Queen Lucy and King Gray, the kind yet noble rulers of the combined kingdoms of Magnolia and Ōkoku. For King Jude and Queen Ur had died peacefully after seeing the births of their grandchildren.

But the old Queen Ur had never quite gotten over the deaths of her children. And who could blame her? She smiled and laughed; she talked and lived her life as well as the next person. But Gray saw her in the midst of some nights, clutching Lyon and Ultear's old clothing to her chest, sobbing over the memories of a son and daughter who were never going to come home.

Lucy had named her daughter, while Gray had named his son. After the dragons they wished would come home, the ones they prayed to see. Lucy knew that Kōri visited Gray, mostly at the nights of the full moon. She could hear their laughter, as she told him of her adventures, and he told her of his. And she sang to him, if she was ever there when he awoke from his nightmares, screaming for Ultear and Lyon. It was the nights that Kōri wasn't there that harmed him most.

And then there were the nights that Natsu would return to her. From the teenager that was her friend to the man that was her lover, he hardly changed. But he looked older in the same way that she did, in a way that suited him.

He would hold her close and kiss her, stay with her until the night ended. He would tell her of his adventures, and she told him of hers. Of their daughter, the girl who was turning out to be more and more like him every day. Summer, the girl who played with fire, was the girl who was half-dragon.

But by morning he'd be gone, and she would wait. She would live to make more stories to tell him, and live for the simple pleasure of being alive. She would wait for her dragon to come back, the promise he always took to keep.

Twenty-one years ago, Natsu Dragneel swore to protect Lucy Heartfilia with his life if needed. But back then, he hadn't done it because he thought he would fall in love with her, for that was something beyond his control. But he accepted to clean his skin of their red stains, to clean the past that stained him so.

Twenty-one years it took, but it happened none the less. It has taken twenty-one years, but Natsu Dragneel is finally no longer stained.

(〃⌒▽⌒)八(〃⌒▽⌒〃)八(⌒▽⌒〃)

_**Was that sentimental ending any good? I tried to give some closure in this epilogue. Anyways, I don't know if I even can do a sequel for this story. I guess it's possible, but I can't think of anything. If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear it. **_

_**Anyway, thanks for reading this story and sticking until the end. I hope you liked this story; I had a lot of fun writing this. :3 **_

_**Like it, love it, hate it? I'd appreciate it if you reviewed! **_

_**Aye, Sir!,**_

_**Ninja**_


	31. Announcement

This is not a new chapter, but a very important announcement. I have made a sequel for "Stained", it's published, and it's called "Unfinished". I had a lot of help from LuckyLifeSmile, she's like my co-author, lots of help from her. Go ahead and check it out.

Aye, Sir!,

Ninja


	32. Chapter 32

_**~ * ~ * Announcement III ~ * ~ * **_

Yeah, you're probably pissed. Sorry, but this isn't a bonus chapter, it's just another fucking announcement. But this seriously important, at least to me.

This story, as well as my other story "Somebody That I Used To Know", has been nominated for the best Fairy Tail story of 2012.

You have to be nominated by the readers, so whichever one of you nominated this story, thank you and I love you so much! I can't even begin to describe how awesome it would be if this story won best FT Story of 2012.

For details about the competition, check out the story "The Best Fairy Tail Fanfic of 2012" by OoComputerFreakoO. They'll explain what the competition is about, as well as how to vote and the other nominations.

As for the people who keep asking questions about the ending of this story: Natsu isn't dead. He just left and comes back occasionally, from time to time.

I hope you guys vote for me, thanks for nominating me, and happy voting!

Aye, Sir!,

Ninja

*BAGPIPES EXIT!*

-New sign-off, considering the fact that Fairy Tail's epic theme music is made by bagpipes.


End file.
